On Friday August 18th 2023 the five (5) affiliates of the Castries Football Council (CFC) received gear and equipment during a short handover ceremony which was held at the corporate offices of Bank of Saint Lucia (BOSL). The provision of gear for affiliates is part of the legacy of the annual LUCELEC/BOSL Castries Youth League. The 2022 LUCELEC /BOSL Castries Youth League concluded in April and saw CFC affiliates along with invited teams from Gros Islet and Babonneau participate in five (5) age divisions including an open female tournament.
The gear is intended to assist the CFC affiliates who operate youth programs and youth academies. This is an investment which has redounded positively not only for the CFC but more importantly the national youth program. Several youth players who got their start in the LUCELEC/BOSL Castries Youth League have gone on to progress through the various age divisions of the national program from the U14 level right up to the senior team. The current national U14 which narrowly lost out to Nicaragua in the CONCACAF finals included four players from CFC affiliates namely Jacob Deveaux and Omarion Edwin from Valley Soccer Club, Keenan Joseph and Johran Phillip from Lancers FC. The head coach of the team Ryan Desir started his youth coaching career with Lancers FC in the annual LUCELEC/BOSL Castries Youth League. In addition to players from CFC affiliate’s prolific goal scorer Shevon Byron and midfielder Dervaj Edward from New Generations Babonneau both participated in this year’s youth league.
Present at the handover ceremony were the representatives of the tournament’s sponsors Carmy Joseph; Corporate Communications Officer of LUCELEC and Genevieve Downes Acting Senior Manager – Marketing & Corporate Communications of BOSL. Both companies reaffirmed their firms’ commitment to the youth tournament and expressed satisfaction that the tournament provided a platform for young persons to develop their talents and to go on to national representation.
The provided gear included size four and size five balls, bibs, agility lads, shin pads, training discs all of which will come in handy as teams from the CFC get set to participate in the 2023 Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA) Zonal U10’s and U17’s which will kick off on Saturday August 26th at the Technical Centre in Grande Riviere. The Executive Committee of the CFC, its affiliates and members once again take this opportunity to the thank LUCELEC and BOSL for their unwavering support for youth football.
Please contact the CFC at castriesfc@gmail.com for any matters related to this press release.
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