2008 RBTT tournament to kick off today.
Three of the five newcomers to the 2008 RBTT InterCol competition will be weaned with perhaps their toughest match-ups to date when they face the top teams in their respective zones within the next week.
But ASJA's fellow SSFL Senior Division winners Fyzabad Anglican Secondary, Woodbrook Government Secondary and Sangre Grande Secondary face trial by fire against Championship heavyweights Naparima College, Mucurapo Secondary Comprehensive and San Juan Secondary Comprehensive.
The other newcomers, Tobago's Goodwood High, square off against another powerhouse in Scarborough Secondary tomorrow at Goodwood.
The Senior Division teams for each zone won the right to enter the competition, as well as the 2009 edition of the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League for winning their zone.
Sangre Grande disposed of Barataria Junior Secondary in a playoff, while Woodbrook edged out Diego Martin Secondary, and Fyzabad got the better of Moruga Composite.
Yesterday, the InterCol knockout tournament was launched at the Kapok Hotel in St Clair, with the major themes being fairplay and the development of young players.
Ministry of Education School Supervisor III Rohit Dube brought greetings to the players at the function, including perennial North Zone girls champs Malick Secondary Comprehensive and Woodbrook, making their first foray into the competition.
Dube reminded them that sports is a useful partner to academics as well, and must be played in the right spirit.
"Play the game fair, play the game hard," he encouraged the students.
"There must be a winner, there must be a loser, but play in the spirit of the game."
SSFL president Ewing Davis also urged the students to play in the right spirit and enjoy the competition.
Also addressing the students was Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation technical director and former national goalkeeper Lincoln "Tiger" Phillips, who stressed that the Federation was in full support of the League and developing young players for the future.
This year, RBTT have also added incentives for the media photographers with the "Shot Boy" competition, which awards winners cash prizes for the best entries in the following Best Photograph categories, which must be published in the newspapers: Goalkeeper; Header; Tackle; Crowd participation; and Goal celebration of teams.
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