Jamaica Under-17 Head Coach David Bernard Jr says improving on performances in recent years and executing tactical awareness are two of the major objectives as his team looks to depart the island today for a regional cricket tournament in Trinidad and Tobago.

Bernard, the former West Indies all-rounder coaching at the national level for the first time, is tasked with changing the fortunes of the Under-17s after dismal finishes in recent tournaments.

“If they play with the right attitude and the right spirit and drive to do well, they should do themselves proud. Obviously we are looking to improve on past seasons, so that it is one of the challenges thrown out to the group,” Bernard told the Jamaica Observer after Friday’s presentation of the travelling contingent at Sabina Park.

“We’re not short on talent, so we try to ensure we have the right attitude and that we are tactically aware in situations,” said Bernard in reference to the Daniel Beckford-captained 14-member squad.

Though restraining title-winning ambitions, the Jamaican coach did express that he still had an eye on coming out on top.

“We are going to win as many games as possible [but] we’re taking it one game at a time. If we can win all the games we can win the tournament, or at least be in contention to win. We prepared some stuff so hopefully that will be enough to take us through and hopefully the luck favours us,” he explained.

Bernard, who played three Tests and 20 One-Day International matches for the West Indies, said academic commitments and participation in school cricket competitions limited the amount of time the squad spent together. However, he remains optimistic proper execution when competition kicks in.

“We didn’t have the time to extensively go into anything so we tried to touch on a bit of everything. Hopefully, they grasped enough of it to really execute come competition time.”

The six-team tournament will be completed in a round robin, league format. The team with most points after five rounds will be crowned champion.

The Jamaicans open against Leewards Islands on Tuesday.

Squad — Daniel Beckford (captain), Brandon English, Oneil Roberts, Nicholas Lewin, Lenox Simpson, Razaq Williams, Romaine Bennett, Joseph Simpson (wicketkeeper), Chevonnie Grant, Andel Gordon, Jemario Wint, Akeel Hanchard, Romaine Jacob, Rajiv Redhi

— Sanjay Myers