August 14 – CONCACAF kicked off its first ever U-15 championship in the Cayman Islands yesterday with Bermuda beating the US Virgin Islands 8-0 and Belize beating St Lucia 1-0. The championships, an initiative of CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb (pictured centre), will be played through to August 25 with 23 national teams competing for the title.
The tournament marks another step for the confederation under its new management regime, and its determination to raise all elements of the game throughout its region to higher levels – both on and off the field.
“It is important for coaches and players to have competitions for development,” said Webb. “This tournament was conceived to intensify our grassroots efforts while helping to identify and develop talent that will eventually create our future stars.”
Played on Grand Cayman, the tournament in its first edition has the distinction of being the largest CONCACAF competition of its kind to be played in a single country. The tournament will now be held every two years.
For the first round of group games teams have been put into four pool– three of six teams and one of of five teams. Each team will play the others in its group once with the group winners advancing to the semifinals on August 23 at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. The match for third place and the final will take place two days later at the same venue.
Countries competing in the tournament include Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint Martin, St. Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago and the US Virgin Islands.
Webb, who is from the Cayman Islands, has had the support of local government to host the tournament. “This tournament is a great developmental experience for local football teams and we thank CONCACAF and President Jeffrey Webb for having the foresight to bring this level tournament to fruition and for also selecting the Cayman Islands as the host country for the inaugural event,” expressed Cayman Islands Minister of Sports, the Honourable Osbourne Bodden.
The tournament is bringing nearly 700 participants to the island during the low-season for tourism.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1735864791labto1735864791ofdlr1735864791owedi1735864791sni@n1735864791osloh1735864791cin.l1735864791uap1735864791