Several TTFA development activities on the schedule
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s Under 13 boys programme will commence with a screening session at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva from 3pm on Monday.
This, according to TTFA Technical Director Muhammad Isa, will be the start of a process to select a National Under 13 boys team to prepare for future competitions such as the CONCACAF Under 15 championship leading to Under 17 and Under World Cup qualification in the next four to six years.
Players will be screened, entered into a database and carefully assessed by coaches over a period of sessions as the selection process is continued towards preparations for future assignments both on the local and international stage.
“We are pleased to be starting the Under 13 boys programme on Monday with screening sessions at the Ato Boldon Stadium,” Isa told TTFA Media.
“This is not for immediate selection on a national under 13 team but moreso a programme that will be overseen by the TTFA geared towards national team selection and preparation at the youth level. We already have a National Under 15 and Under 17 team in training and now we have commenced the process for an earlier age groups,” Isa added.
Russell Latapy is currently head coach of the current Under 15 boys team preparing for the CONCACAF Championship in Florida in August while the former Boavista player is also overseeing the Under 17 Boys for future Under 20 competitions.
“We have already held trials for the Under 14 girls and this process will continue as we aim to increase the talent pool with the national under 17, under 20 and senior women's team currently also in training. The Under 17 girls are now preparing for the Caribbean leg of qualification for the Under 17 World Cup which will be played in Trinidad in August,” Isa said.
The TTFA has also conducted four grassroots festivals clinics in four locations – Blanchisseuse, La Brea, Chaguanas and Palo Seco over the past six weeks and will be moving to other locations in the coming weeks. Some three hundred players, both boys and girls under age eleven, have had the chance to take part in the exercise so far.
“The grassroots festival is going at a rapid pace and we are pleased to see the level of interest and excitement both from the kids and their parents in the activities so far at the different locations. We have seen several players from the different communities and this augers well for our youth and community development programmes,” Isa said.
The TTFA Coaching Education programme is also active with examinations for two sets of C License Course participants being completed this weekend.
“We had exams for the C License course this weekend and the response has been very positive. We are looking to continue these courses over the course of the year and with some four to five courses being completed already so far this year, we are looking to have at least sixty coaches certified in the not too distant future who will be able to now work within the TTFA programmes in the various zones,” Isa added.