Reggae Girlz Head Coach Lorne Donaldson has expressed satisfaction with the passion displayed by young players aiming to force their way into the final Fifa Women’s World Cup squad, as they wrapped up a five-day training camp in Florida on Sunday.

Donaldson believes the camp, which was called to assess the country’s young prospects, delivered beyond expectation and pretty much kicked off their preparations for the four-team Cup of Nations tournament in Australia next month.

The 28 players, who attended the camp, were put through their paces in a handful of training sessions and the new players to the senior set-up, in particular, had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the team’s style of play.

“It was a fantastic camp, and it offered us an ideal opportunity to not only look at some players, but also to get them in the frame of mind for the upcoming assignment.

“It was also valuable in the sense that it exposed those players to our structures and to see them in action as we finalise the selections. They [young players] performed above expectation, they showed that they are legit and are pushing for positions on this team. So we were very pleased to see their, and the rest of the squad’s enthusiasm,” Donaldson told the Jamaica Observer.

“We didn’t do much fitness in this camp because we were doing a lot of playing. We played two inter-squad scrimmage and it was more focused around finishing, defensive work and some midfield functions, which was the main reason for this camp.

“We wanted to look at some stuff and see who we can bring in and whether or not they have what it takes and we also have to ensure it’s the right combination of players, so it was a very good look,” he added.

On that note, Donaldson pointed out that he and assistants Xavier Gilbert and Ak Lakhani should be able to decide on the 23-player travelling squad in another week, as there was a buzz in the camp about the tour.

The 44th-ranked Girlz are scheduled to face Spain, Czech Republic and Australia on February 16, 19 and 22, respectively at the Cup of Nations tournament which forms part of their build up to a second-consecutive World Cup appearance, in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

“It [the camp] was a success above what we thought it would have been, so that’s a plus. The next step now is to decide on the squad to the Cup of Nations and hopefully, we will be able to do that in another week because the players look like they are ready to go. But we are under no illusions about the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead,” Donaldson noted.

“We want to put together a strong team for what we know will be some tough games and after seeing the training squad on the field and other players in action in their franchise and clubs competitions. I’m confident that we will be able to select a talented team featuring a good mix of youth and experience,” he declared.

According to Donaldson, the Cup of Nations games will not only serve the purpose of exposing players – both those who are young and their more experienced counterparts – to top-class international competition a few months out from the July to August 20 global showpiece.

It will also allow the coaches to give a wider group of players valuable game time at this level with other regional and international assignments in mind.

The Girlz are drawn in Group F alongside Brazil and France with their third opponent to come from the intercontinental play-offs next month.

“But again we are looking past the tournament and also beyond the World Cup. We have done what we had to for this World Cup; now we are looking past that in terms of building the programme,” Donaldson said.

“We have some good young players who we have to prepare for what will happen after the World Cup. There is the PanAm Games, Women’s Gold Cup, the Olympic Games and even the next World Cup; we have to start looking towards those from now.

“We have a pool involving some decent young players that we can go to and that’s what we are trying to build.There are players that you might not have seen who are still a part of the pool but we are unable to bring everybody in, but they are still a part of our plans. We just have to look at new players,” the tactician ended as he explained the absence of veteran players Marlo Sweatman and Sashana Campbell, among others.

Players: Jody Brown (Florida State); Kalyssa Van Zanten (Notre Dame University); Giselle Washington (University of Tennessee); Kameron Simmonds (University of Tennessee); Peyton McNamarra (Ohio State University); Olufolade Ademoluken; Mireya Grey (Seattle Sounders); Rachel Jones (UNC); Liya Brookes (Eugene Timbers); Serena Mensah (Fordham University); Maliah Atkins (Thunder Ridge HS); Zoe Matthews; Logan McFadden (Lipscomb University); Malikae Dayes (University of Maryland); Mikalya Dayes (University of Maryland); Amelia Van Zanten (Florida State); Solai Washington; Havana Solaun (North Carolina Courage); Satara Murray (Racing Louisville); Cheyna Mattews (Racing Louisville); Konya Plummer; Lauren Reid; Isreala Groves (Roberts Weslyan College); Tiernny Wiltshire (Houston Dash); Theanna Burnett (Sacred Heart University); Yazmeen Jameison (GPSC 92); Trudi Carter (Levante Las Planas); and Sydney Bellamy (Lander University).