MIDFIELDER Jermaine Woozencroft and defender Kemar Lawrence have been selected by the JFF to participate in the first-ever MLS Caribbean Combine, which aims to give regional players a chance to be assessed by scouts to determine if they have what it takes to play in the US professional leagues, like the MLS.

The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) recently announced a partnership with US Major League Soccer (MLS) to create a stage where young, aspiring regional players will have the chance to parade their skills with a view to moving into the North American league.

MLS, in seeking to achieve its goal of being among the best leagues in the world by 2022, has selected the Caribbean region as one of its sources of the next generation of MLS stars.

This initiative is being called the “MLS Caribbean Combine” and will take place in Antigua & Barbuda from January 2-5, 2014.

Consequently, the CFU invited the JFF along with other member associations in the region to identify and submit the names of two players between the ages of 18 and 22 years.

One of the critieria is that the players recommended must be part of the JFF’s elite player programme and must be national players.

An independent technical team will review all submissions and select the best 24 players to travel to Antigua for the inaugural MLS Caribbean Combine.

The selected players will compete in front of professional scouts for an opportunity to earn an invitation to the annual Adidas MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida later in January 2014.

The format for the MLS Caribbean Combine will include training sessions and games against local clubs.

Biography

Name: Jermaine Woozencroft

Date of Birth: August 19, 1992

Position: Midfielder

Address: St James, Jamaica

Goal: To play high-level international and club football.

Capped at the Under-17 level for Jamaica in 2008 at the CFU Youth Cup, Woozencroft made his senior team debut against Trinidad & Tobago, November 2013. Woozencroft attended Rusea’s High School where his team won the DaCosta Cup (premier competition for rural schools) in 2010.

As a schoolboy, he represented Village United FC at the National Premier League.

Operating both on the right and central positions of midfield, he is deceptively quick, silky smooth with a searing pace, a good passer of the ball, a good reader of the game and does not back out of any challenge.

CLUB CAREER

* 2010-present- Montego Bay United

* 2008-2010- Village United

* 2006-2010- Rusea’s High

Name: Kemar Lawrence

Date of Birth: September 17, 1992

Position: Defender/ midfielder

Address: Kingston, Jamaica

Goal: To play high-level international and club football.

Lawrence is capped at the Under-17, Under-20 and senior levels for Jamaica. He was a member of the Under-20 national team competing at the CONCACAF Championships in Guatemala in 2011. In 2009 after returning from the CFU Youth Cup in Trinidad & Tobago, he was engaged by the Vancouver Whitecaps Youth Residency Programme for six months.

Lawrence is a very pacy and diligent fullback who brings spark and excitement to football. He plays locally for Harbour View FC contributing significantly to their most recent successes.

CLUB CAREER

* 2007-present- Harbour View Football Club

* 2003-2007- Rae Town FC

* 2006-2010- Donald Quarrie High School