10 overseas-based players in Under-20 Reggae Girlz squad

BY LIVINGSTON SCOTT Observer staff reporter

Sunday, July 10, 2011

TEN overseas-based players have been included in Jamaica's Under-20 Women's football squad which, on Friday at the UWI, began preparation for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Qualifiers to be held in October and December of this year.

Five of those players, Marlo Sweatman, Toriana Patterson, Shanyce Shaw, Lindsay Wong and Adriana Johnson, already had trial stints with the national team. However, only Johnson has represented the team competitively before.

Coach Vin Blaine says during this first week of training his intention is to identify the players he wants to work with and build a solid unit to go into the tournament.

He noted that after Thursday's first day, midfielder Chinylou Asher, a first-timer, was most impressive and he is now looking at how he can incorporate her and others into the team with the local players.

"Right now we're trying to fill all of the positions and integrate the overseas players into the squad because we want to develop a system and I believe we are already achieving that," he hinted.

Blaine added that the female football programme needs the support of the corporate community if they are to maximise their preparation efforts.

"The girls don't usually get the support they want, but it's important to have funding because this is a special programme and it's important that we get some quality games, which is our normal cry, going into a tournament. So we need the support," he said.

The overseas-based players in the squad are Sweatman, Patterson, Shaw, Wong, Asher, Johnson, Garrian McKenzie, Cassandra Crooks, Kimberly Spence and Sydney Parodie.

Meanwhile, Los Perfectos have the majority of the local-based contingent with nine of the 15 players hailing from the Manchester club.

The Los Perfectos players in the squad include Nugene Nugent, Shenika Williams, Sasalee Cooper, Sh'nell Briscoe, Renee Freeman, Carla Daniels, Nickeisha Williams, Kedesha Cordoza and Sharika Ingram.

The other players include star midfielder Trudi Carter, Kedine Salmon, Daysia Whyte, Chris-Ann Chambers, Kalicia Walker and Mellissa Bryan.