UTC give under-14 football $70,000

UNIT TRUST Corporation have injected $70,000 into the championships National Under-14 Football Championships. The tournament will be played between July 27 to August 20. This under-14 tournament is seen by Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation technical director Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips as a return to a programme which gave birth to the now legendary “Strike Squad.” The tournament will involve 600 players from 40 teams in six zones. At the launch yesterday, Phillips  said his mission is to see all Trinidad and Tobago football teams qualify for their respective World Cups by the year 2014, and that the Under-14 championships serves this end. The championships keep Under-14 players in active competition and therefore offer a better scouting opportunity, one which Phillips assures he will grab as the TTFF begin to work from the foundation.

According to All Sport Promotions managing director Anthony Harford, the championships promise to be ground-breaking as it will encourage team structure, games will be played at only the best venues throughout Trinidad and Tobago and each player will be insured by the UTC. Harford revealed that in each zone their will be a league competition out of which the eight best teams will advance to the national quarter-finals, semi-finals and then to the grand final to be played at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The winning team will collect $5,000 in units from the UTC. There is also a Girls Under-14 Division, but to date, there are no  entrants. UTC executive director Michael Alexander rolled back the years to his days as an Under-14, eating, sleeping and dreaming football.

He said opportunities have flourished for young footballers with university scholarships and professional football both locally and internationally now increasingly available, and the championships give the youngsters this window. Five teams each in the North, East, Eastern Counties, Central, South and Tobago zones will play 70-minute games in their respective groups beginning on Tuesday advancing to the quarter-finals at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, and Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima. Registration is $500 per team of  no more than 25 or less than 16, and will take place at All Sport Promotion’s offices. For further information please contact Anthony Harford at 624-4577/ 78, or e-mail asp63@hotmail.com.