Pembroke Hall FC’s U-19s to participate in Schwan’s USA Cup
Jamaica will be represented in one of biggest youth football tournaments in the world as Pembroke Hall Under-19s have accepted an invitation to participate in the Schwan’s USA Cup in Minnesota next year.
This will be the 35th edition of the tournament to be held July 16-20, and Pembroke Hall will be one of hundreds of teams participating in what has been dubbed an international cultural exchange.
The tournament has, each year, attracted over 1,000 teams between the two tournaments, along with over 64 countries participating since the inception in 1984.
The Pembroke Hall Football Club currently has an Under-19 team in training, and Head Coach Levi Monroe believes this can only help the club and Jamaica.
“This is the first time in a decade that a team from Jamaica will be participating,” Monroe told the Jamaica Observer.
“With the Schwan’s Cup being an Under-19 tournament we will be able to draft in quality players from our Under-17 group and will make an impact,” he noted.
“Most importantly, its great exposure for the players and for them to play and enjoy themselves while getting good results. This is a wonderful opportunity for the boys to compete internationally, and interact with players from other countries,” Monroe said.
Schwan’s USA Cup is held each summer at the National Sports Centre in Blaine, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, St Paul. The National Sports Centre provides one of the best football complexes in the world, with more than 50 full-sized grass fields on one site.
Championship games are played on the premier fields, including the outdoor stadium and adjacent exhibition field. In addition to premier football facilities and competition, a full week of activities have been designed to promote cultural exchange between players and to provide an excellent experience for all involved.
The USA Cup is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation.
Pembroke Hall has been involved in fund-raising activities to offset the cost, although accommodation will be taken care of by the organisers.
– Howard Walker
