45 children returned to Tortola and Virgin Gorda on Sunday January 31, 2016, from Puerto Rico after having participated in the GPS Caribbean Football Showcase at the Bayamón Facilities in Puerto Rico. Photo: Provided

Over 60 teams participated in the inaugural football tournament, with sides from Puerto Rico, USVI, and mainland USA joined by the VI's Sea Cow Bay Manatees Football Club for what would prove to be a wonderful display of the "Beautiful Game".

Children who were selected from the Saturday morning football programme run at Sea Cows Bay played in the Under 10 boys division, U12 boys division, U13 boys division, U15 boys division and U13 girls division. 

It was the U10 boys team led by Captain Alex Fountain Salter who brought back the Manatees FC first ever silverware. After comprehensively navigating the group phase undefeated with 3 consecutive wins, they lost out 2-1 in a heart stopping championship against Eleven FC Dorado from Puerto Rico despite playing their hearts out. Leading 1-0 at half time, the U10 boys, some playing in their first international tournament, saw their lead evaporate early in the second half and could not find the equaliser necessary to force the game into extra time.

Head Coach Gary Salter, a great motivator, was left to console some very disappointed children at the end of the finals. Heroic and courageous displays by keeper Oliver Henderson, defenders Sebby Santos, Dylan Sorrentino, Tak Wood and more attacking players like Ryan Lettsome, Azarni Callwood, Gethin Jones and Nici Haycraft mean that this group of players will have many chances in the future to go for gold.

U15 boys hold their own

The U15 boys team also did extremely well, remarked Coach John Reilly, considering the team was a collaborative coming together of players from Tortola and St Thomas. With both respective clubs not having enough players to enter a team individually into the tournament it was a great effort on behalf of both clubs to get over all the organisational issues to make it happen. The football loving kids managed to meet and practice with each other for the first time in St John the weekend before the Puerto Rico tournament.

The blending of talents immediately paid off in the first game of the tournament when the combined VI/USVI team won 5-3 against GPS MA Central Elite Boys from Boston, Massachusetts. The second game saw the combined team lose a chippy affair 5-2 while eventual champions Caguas Bairoa beat a determined VI/USVI team 7-2 in a score-line that did not reflect the competitiveness of the game. 

Notable performances were put in by Captain Leo Forte and central defender Liam Blok while keeper Finn Brabant, striker Markus Lake, defender Stefano Tasking, midfielders Giovanni Grant and Guillaume Parkins demonstrated that the pipeline of football talent in the VI is impressive.

U13 girls the fan favourites

The U13 girls players were a favorite of many of the Spanish speaking fans in attendance. It was the first time the majority of the girls played in a 9v9 format - 60 minute match.

“The fact that many of the girls had only started to regularly play football just over a year ago made their performances both individually and collectively so remarkable,” commented Coach Walter Reich. It was a true testament to their hard work, willingness and courage to put into practice in a game situation the techniques taught by UEFA A Certified Coach John Reilly.

While a Mayday signal was sent out to girls on Tortola, Virgin Gorda and St Thomas the team ended up travelling to the Caribbean Showcase tournament with no substitutes which meant that the girls knew they would have to play intelligently and as a team in order to have the stamina and energy required to play 3 full games.

The first game saw the girls battle to a 1-1 draw against Laraza USVI until the last two minutes of the game when Laraza finally managed to score the go ahead goal against up and coming star goal keeper Libby Morris with a fine strike. A final counterattack goal by Laraza as the VI girls attempted to seek an equaliser was the dagger that sealed the game in favour of the USVI.

A wonderful finish by Darci Reich after wonderful chances by Molly Brownsdon and Gabby Jermyn were parried away admirably by the USVI keeper was the sole consolation for the VI team. Lily Pierce, playing with a cold which limited her usual trademark runs, played solidly in the central defender role which was key to keeping all the games close.

Other star performers included Ariel Mohamed playing with a cast after damaging her wrist in practice and Freya Childs who only recently returned to competitive football after a 2 year hiatus. Captain Tola Broderick saved her best game for the last game where the girls lost a heartbreaker to the eventual semi-finalists Taurinos de Caye 4-0. The lack of substitutes saw the Taurinos slowly overcome the VI girls late in the second half with a near miss by new comer Georgia Jermyn almost giving the girls reason to celebrate in their final game.

The U12 and U13 boys' divisions were arguably the most competitive divisions on display. It was a collective decision Coach Walter, Coach Jose Santos, Coach Alessandro Palladino and Coach John Reilly to expose as many of the regular Saturday morning boys to tournament play as possible given it was held in nearby Puerto Rico. Given it was the first time the tournament was being held no one really knew what the caliber of play would be "so we took the decision to bring effectively two teams rather than one team," remarked Walter Reich.

Competitive limitations

Playing in the VI has its competitive limitations and all the coaches agreed that the experience of playing tournament style football would assist in the football development of each of the boys.

While some of the boys had been practicing consistently on Saturday mornings for 10+ years, some of the kids were admittedly a bit more sporadic with their attendance and it showed in the much faster tempo game on display in Puerto Rico where first touch and good quick decision making skills were required in abundance.

The patterns of play were mesmerizing at times and resembled poetry in motion noted one of the VI supporters. Luka Chalwell, Luca Reich, Nathan Haycraft and Lawton Green for the U13s and Alex Fox, Scott Kirk, Michael Palladino and Alejandro Santos for the U12s all provided highlight top 10 ESPN style plays at various points in the tournament while all the boys played until they literally dropped in some games. “Playing under the lights on Saturday night was probably an experience most of the kids will never forget,” remarked one parent.