T&T created history as the first team from the English speaking Caribbean to play in the Barcelona Summer Cup International Youth Football Tournament which took place at Salou Cambris, Barcelona, Spain, from July 1-6, 2014.
T&T’s very own Waterloo Institute of Soccer Players (WISP) Under-10 football team (Waterloo Starlets) got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Barcelona.
A group of 24 people, comprising 11 players, four parents, four team officials and five executive members, including WISP president, Raymond Jurawan (retired Principal of Waterloo Secondary School), left Trinidad on June 29 to participate at the prestigious international tournament.
Teams from 18 countries were represented at this year’s event. They were Spain, France, Italy, Scotland, England, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Malta, USA, Canada, South Africa, Tunisa and T&T.
The selection of players was chosen from scouting other youth football development programmes and was made up of players from the following youth clubs: Trendsetter Hawks; Laventille United; Fyzabad United Football Club and the host club, WISP.
During this trip, a delegation from WISP, including the president of Fyzabad United, met with the FC Barcelona Foundation and presented a miniature steelpan from Pan Trinbago and a national football jersey from the T&T Football Association.
WISP is also doing wonders in the Waterloo, Carapichaima area. Children who are not doing academically well are encouraged to develop football skills. There is also a remedial programme based at the Waterloo Secondary School where slow learners are given one to one sessions.
One of the founding members of the WISP, Stephen Bartholomew, said one of their main goals was to help instil ego, self-esteem and a sense of belonging and worth into the youths in the area. “We are here to show them that we care and that they can become successes in life, not only in sport.”
Bartholomew said they also offered coaching activities, including working with the Early Childhood Care Centres.
The Waterloo Institute of Soccer Players has had a relationship with Waterloo Minor Soccer Club of Canada (WMSC) since 2004 when they first came to Waterloo, Ontario. From there, the relationship grew and another visit occurred in 2008.
Most recently we were visited by a team for two weeks this July. The team, comprised of 16 soccer players ages 12 to 16, arrived on Friday, July 18, 2014, along with two team officials, a few parents, and the club’s executive director, Stephen Bartholomew.
The WISP Under-16 team also had their third opportunity to visit Waterloo in Canada where they played four friendly international matches. The group was warmly welcomed and given a tour of the University of Waterloo, where they met fellow Trinidadians studying there.
PLAYER NAME MEMBER CLUB
(Defenders)
Roshun Williams (capt) - Waterloo Institute of Soccer
Tyreke Harding - Waterloo Institute of Soccer
Jaron Pascal - Waterloo Institute of Soccer
(Midfielders)
Jaheem Marshal - Trendsetter Hawks
Real Gil - Trendsetter Hawks
Josiah Wilson - Trendsetter Hawks
(Strikers)
Jkwon Bailey - Fyzabad United
Abdullah Noel - Laventille United
Omari Charles 0 Waterloo Institute of Soccer
(Goalkeepers)
Jessiah Hercules - Waterloo institute of Soccer
Shemer Gray - Laventille United
Team officials
Shivaurn Harding - Coach
Cebastian Bailey - Assistant Coach
Shirlann Jules - Manager
Edna St Louis-Massiah - Physio
MATCH RESULTS:
Group A
Waterloo Starlets (5) vs Northern Lights (Norway) (3)
Waterloo Starlets (0) vs Luxol FC (Malta) (0)
Waterloo Starlets (1) vs JK Sparta (Estonia) (3)
Waterloo Starlets (1) vs San Salvador (Spain) (4)
Waterloo Starlets (0) vs CKF Kasar Hellal (Tunisia) (4)
Play off (5th place)
Waterloo Starlets (12) vs HJK East (Findland) (2)
3rd Most Goals scored – Jaheem Marshall of Trendsetter Hawks (8) goals