The Southern Football Association (SFA) has embarked on a programme aimed at developing its youth and attaining international standards in the future.
It is being done through the use of the Centre For Excellence Programme (CFE) which has been creating a network with other similar regional and international programmes.
The Centre for Excellence programme visited the United States last year, through an Under-18 Boys team that competed in a tournament that was hosted by the Calvert Soccer Association.
The team also visited neighbouring Barbados, Suriname and Tobago with different aged-group teams.
It was said to have forged vital relationship ties and developing valuable networks.
The CFE programme provided players with the opportunities for exposure at international competitions well as allow players the chance to earn scholarships in the United States, among others.
According to the officials of the SFA, the programme has again been invited back into the United States.
They also revealed that a coaching staff of four from the American International College (AIC) has agreed to visit Trinidad and Tobago this month (December) to scout for talent for possible scholarships.
Southern Football Association yesterday insisted that the objective is to provide the necessary exposure to the elite players in the southland to playing conditions and standards that are similar to the US College Soccer circuit.
To achieve this SFA officials noted that the technical and tactical abilities of local players must be developed, if they are to be successful in achieving scholarships in the US.
The US staff selected players from an arranged quadrangular football tournament between Presentation College, San Fernando and Naparima College, the SFA Centre For Excellence team and a south Representative team.