The BVI Women’s team will be playing a friendly game against the USVI on Sunday September 14, 2014 to conclude the second week of BVI Football Association (BVIFA) 40th Anniversary Celebrations, which also includes the Gala Awards Ceremony. Photo: bvifa

The game, scheduled for 5pm on the A.O. Shirley Ground, will also be the spark that unites a new Women’s League for 2014/15. Photo: bvifa

Gordon Derrick, Caribbean Football Union President. Photo: bvifa

Jeffrey Webb, President of CONCACAF. Photo: bvifa

Following the conclusion of Youth Week the BVIFA is moving its 40th Anniversary Celebrations into high gear with a series of Events starting this Friday, September 12, 2014 with an Open House at the Association’s Office across from the Botanic Gardens.

Bingo Night is also scheduled for Friday Night at the Rock Café over on Virgin Gorda.

On Saturday 13, 2014 the Annual Awards Presentation and Anniversary Celebration takes place in the Multi Purpose Sports Complex from 5:00 pm with Guest Speaker Jeffrey Webb, the President of CONCACAF. Also speaking will be Gordon Derrick, Caribbean Football Union President, the Governor, his Excellency John S. Duncan OBE and members of the Government.

“Celebrating this milestone is indeed a special moment for the British Virgin Islands; the Association has built an excellent reputation with stakeholders over the past 40 years. The Club teams continue to play with passion and determination and the next 40 years is well set!”

Everyone, Players, Family, Friends, and Fans are invited to the Ceremony, which is a formal attire function, but free of charge, to support their favourite players and witness a little bit of history as the Association celebrates its past and embraces its future.

Focus turns to Women’s Football on Sunday September 14, 2014, when the BVI Women’s team takes on their USVI counterparts in a re run of a game back in 2012 when the BVI took care of their guests, 2-1 over two legs.

Many of the Girls playing this time were involved back then, but also some new faces have turned up to regular training as well as some of the more experienced players.

Sharlene Pond, who is on the Women’s Committee, has been instrumental in rejuvenating the women’s football programme and has also been practicing hard with her team mates. “The turnout has been steadily increasing since we began training three weeks ago and all the girls are showing progress as well as being excited about the chance to play as part of such a huge celebration,” she said.

The game, scheduled for 5pm on the A.O. Shirley Ground, will also be the spark that unites a new Women’s League for 2014/15.

It is also just over a week until the BVI Men’s team faces their biggest challenge since the Caribbean Cup, when they face St Vincent and the Grenadines in an International Friendly on the A.O. Shirley Ground, September 21, 2014.

The Vincy team, ranked 16th in the recent CONCACAF standings and 134th in FIFA’s World Rankings, are a formidable foe for the BVI and of course will have tremendous support from the vast contingent of Vincentians living in the Territory.

For the record the teams drew 1-1 back in 2005 when a Michael Haynes goal gave the BVI a share of the points in a Caribbean Cup Group match.

The Captain that day, Avondale Williams, is now the National Team Coach and a Vincentian commented that the match will represent one of his toughest challenges, but is quietly confident.

“Training has intensified as we approach the last few days and we are now concentrating on finalizing tactics. We hope to play our normal game, but have been working on variations to suit any situations that may arise,” said Williams.

Two or three players are recovering from slight knocks, but Williams hopes to be able to choose from his full squad and is looking forward to welcoming some old friends from St Vincent.

“There are a lot of connections with Vincy in the Football Family and we are expecting a large crowd on Sunday and will be hoping to mark the 40th Anniversary with a win!”