Nicole Bell (left) and Nicole Berwise
A STRONG national women's football squad of 18 players will leave the island tomorrow for Haiti to participate in the semi-final stages of the Caribbean Union (CFU) women's championships.
The "Reggae Girlz", as they are now called, are placed in a group with hosts Haiti, Bermuda and Martinique with the winner advancing to the final against the winner of the other group being hosted in Trinidad and Tobago. On Wednesday they open their account against the hosts. Two days later they meet Martinique before closing out on August 13 against Bermuda.
While not knowing much about the other teams in the competition coach Patrick "Jackie" Walters is backing his team to do well.
"I think we have a very very good chance of being successful in Haiti and going on to Trinidad and Tobago and being successful," said Walters, possibly reflecting on a 12-0 whipping of the Cayman Islands which qualified the team for this round of the competition.
"This is a tremendously gifted team," Walters said. "There are some players out there who will leave you in amazement at their talent."
Though the team is blessed with talent and has been in and out of camp for more than three months, Walters said the training had been less than ideal but he tried to make the best of what he had to work with.
"We have played against a number of male teams, schoolboys, daCosta Cup, Manning Cup and Minor League teams which I think has extended the girls tremendously and I think they have benefited from it," he said.
"I think they are playing with a higher level of understanding and are far more enthusiastic. They are now realising that being successful at this level in the Caribbean could open some eyes for them and make people understand that women's football definitely has somewhere going.
"I think they are hyped up going to Haiti and really looking to perform well and looking forward to some sort of support in the future," Walters continued.
Even though he is confident his group of players can do the job required, Walters bemoaned the lack of success of a trial for players interested in joining the squad which was held in Miami in April.
"The trial was not as successful as we thought it would have been. We had one player, Gina Foster, out of Miami who showed great potential and I think she would, without a doubt, have made a tremendous contribution to the team.
"However, she did not return, she had some engagements in the States and we have not heard from her since. We are hoping she will decide to come back into the group because she can make a definite contribution to the team."
Two other players based abroad are close to joining the team he said.
Despite that, the team has been bolstered by the inclusion of a number of players studying in the United States. "These girls had previously represented Jamaica but were on the United States College circuit and are now back home.
"Since they have been back they have added a sort of maturity to the team and they are making a tremendous contribution to the team. These players, Tamara Williams (midfielder), midfielder Stacy-Jo Fletcher, who is dubbed the female (Theodore) Whitmore, Nicole Bell and Lisanne Peart along with goalkeeper Nickeisha Thomas, captain Alicia Wilson, Nicole Berwise (centre forward) and Tenisha Francis are the key players.
The full squad reads: Alicia Wilson, Nickeisha Thomas, Geniva Sinclair, Alecia James, Nordia Reid, Bernadette Mairs, Cassandra McKoy, Tamara Williams, Monique Davis, Nicole Berwise, Tenisha Kennedy, Hishamar Falconer, Tenisha Francis, Nicole Bell, Stacy-Jo Fletcher, Kerise Heywood, Simone Forbes and Lisanne Peart.
- Nodley Wright
