XXXVIII CFU Congress a success T

APRIL 2015, VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4, CARIBBEAN FOOTBALL UNION NEWSLETTER ARTICLES 3 2015 CFU Club Championship set for Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago 5 Groups, venues drawn for CFU Men s and Women s Olympic Qualifiers 8 Caribbean nations benefit from FIFA 11 Health event 9Antigua & Barbuda and Turks & Caicos get FIFA Gold Project approval 11 CONCACAF stages inaugural goalkeeping course in St Kitts & Nevis 12 J can assistant ref lands FIFA Women s World Cup appointment XXXVIII CFU Congress a success T he Caribbean Football Union (CFU) staged yet another successful Congress on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, at the Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas, with almost maximum attendance of representatives from its Member Associations as well as dignitaries from the CONCACAF and FIFA. To begin proceedings, CFU General Secretary Presidents WEBB, BLATTER and DERRICK in a happy mood Damien Hughes at the CFU XXXVIII Congress in the Bahamas welcomed the gathering and introduced the representatives from the Member Associations, the dignitaries from the CONCACAF and the FIFA delegations, as well as members of the media and other observers. President of the host country, Member Association Anton Sealy, warmly welcomed the attendees, after which President of CONCACAF, Jeffrey Webb, and FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter, made a few remarks. This was followed by an address from the CFU President Gordon Derrick and the declaration of the opening of the Congress by President Blatter. Webb commended the efforts of the thirty-one Member Associations on getting past the previous challenges and encouraged them to move forward to meet the other challenges as the CFU progresses. He said that the economic challenges faced by the Caribbean, such as lack of resources, meant that there was the need for assistance in the development of football in the region. Cont d page 2

XXXVIII CFU...cont d On a sad note, Webb reflected on the untimely exit of General Secretary Damien Hughes from the CFU while highlighting the collaborative efforts made by Hughes during his tenure at the helm of the Normalization Committee. He praised Hughes for his hard work during and after recent difficult times in the CFU and wished him continued success in his future endeavours. Webb then presented Hughes with a gift. Blatter, meanwhile, spoke of the volume of CFU Members forming the FIFA and CONCACAF and congratulated the President for his efforts to maintain the change in the CFU. He gave a special welcome to Sonia Bien Aime as President of the Turks and Caicos Islands. He also praised the CFU for its growth after recovering from that dark chapter of its journey as a union. He also praised Hughes for the tremendous efforts he made as General Secretary bringing the Union to where its at. Blatter presented Hughes with a gift at the end of his presentation. President Derrick, in his address, used the famous quote, As a man thinketh, so is he to encourage the Member Associations to think globally and not locally, despite how small they were. Derrick pointed to the efforts of the CFU in exposing the talents of the region by masterminding the second MLS Combine event earlier in the year. In addition, he mentioned the Dallas Cup in which the Men s U-17 Champion would automatically qualify to compete and the strategic planning underway for a Combine Tournament for a select team of Under-19 players. Derrick also praised the Montserrat team for their performance against Curacao in the recent first round of the WCQ games. It was impressive, he said, They have stopped thinking local; we are moving in the right direction with our teams getting to the CONCACAF level. The CFU President alluded to the principle of reaping what one sows, adding that if the Member Associations CFU General Secretary Damien Hughes receiving a gift from FIFA President Joseph Blatter at the XXXVIII CFU Congress CFU Congress XXXVIII sow the right seeds in the Caribbean, they would reap the benefits. He emphasised unity in administration and commitment for one another. After a break the roll call was taken, followed by the approval of the Agenda, confirmation of the minutes from the last Congress held in Brazil, the 2014 CFU Executive Report the General Secretary s Report and the implementation of the rest of the items on the Agenda. 2

2015 CFU Club Championship set for Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago All roads lead to the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad and Tobago where four teams will battle for the 2015 CFU Club Championship title and three spots in the 2015/2016 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League from May 22 to 24. Central Football Club team After three days of intense preliminary-round action among fourteen teams which started on April 15, the four teams - Central Football Club (Group 1) Direct TV WConnection (Group 2) from Trinidad & Tobago; Montego Bay United (Group 3) out of Jamaica, and Don Bosco FC de Petion Ville (Group 4) from Haiti - remain in the hunt to capture the coveted title. The quartet will contest a straight knock-out format in the final round in their quest for ultimate honours and the top three clubs will get a chance to compete in the prestigious CONCACAF Champions League later this year. On Sunday, April 19, at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, Central FC got past Alpha United 3-1 to top Group 1, in an intriguing contest on neutral ground. The winners jumped into a 2-0 lead courtesy of strikes in the 16th and 17th minutes through Ataulla Guerra and Sean De Silva, respectively. However, Alpha pulled one back on the stroke of half-time as the half ended 2-1. Alpha tried desperately to draw level, but Central FC pulled further ahead in the 85th minute as Guerra completed a double ending the game 3-1. At the Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago, Direct TV WConnection outplayed SAP Football Club, 7-2 to top Group 2, in their final encounter. With the late withdrawal of Waterhouse FC of Jamaica, Direct TV WConnection topped the group which was reduced to three teams. Scoring for the winner were Jamal Williams in the 4th minute; Jerrel Britto in the 8th and 82nd; Hashim Arcia in the 18th, 43rd and 44th, and Shahdon Winchester in the 25th.. Tevaughn Harriette and Steven Roberts scored in the 59th and 78th minute respectively for SAP FC Central FC celebrating after scoring a goal Meanwhile, Montego Bay United earned their place in the final round by taking maximum points in Group 3. The team s last encounter on Sunday against SV Excelsior ended 3-0. Jermaine Woozencroft scored in the 35th minute, while Keneil Kirlew scored in the 70th and Allen Ottey in the 89th to provide the insurance goals for the Jamaicans. In Group 4, Don Bosco Football Club also took maximum nine points from their three matches to top the group and advance to the final round. At the Stade Sylvio Cator in Haiti, the lone goal was scored by Wanel Saint Hubert in the 15th minute, which ultimately separated Don Bosco from Unite Sainte Rose as the game ended 1-0. 3 Cont d page 4

T&T TO HOST CFU...cont d Direct TV WConnection Football team Direct TV WConnection Jerrel Britto sours high for his team Montego Bay United Football Team Don Bosco FC de Pition Ville Team 4 Don Bosco FC Benchy Estama in CFU Club Champs action

Groups, venues drawn for CFU Men s and Women s Olympic Qualifiers The 2015 Caribbean Zone Men and Women s Olympic Qualifiers games will be contested between May and August, and August and October, respectively, at various venues within the region. This zonal qualifying tournament has an age limit of Under 23 for men born on or after January 1, 1993, while there is no age restriction for the Women s Qualifiers. Seventeen nations will compete in the Men s category with fourteen nations participating among the women. Two teams from the Men s Qualifiers will advance to the CONCACAF Men s Olympic Tournament, while three teams will advance from the female category into the CONCACAF Women s Summer Olympic Tournament for 2016. Participants in both tournaments have been grouped into four groups. There is a pre-qualification round between Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines for the Men s tournament. The teams will play each other twice in a home-and-away tie, with the winner set to contest Group 4. In the Men s division, Haiti will host Group One which comprises Cayman Islands, Haiti, St Kitts & Nevis and Barbados. Group Two will be hosted in Aruba, with the teams being Guyana, Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda and Cuba. Group Three consists of the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St Lucia and Curacao and will be hosted by St Lucia, while Group Four will be played in Puerto Rico. The teams contesting this group are Suriname, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, and the winner of the Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines play-off. In the Women s category, Group One will be hosted by Puerto Rico and fields Aruba, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Grenada. Group Two features St Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda, the Cayman Islands and Trinidad & Tobago, to be staged in Trinidad & Tobago. The Group Three games will be played in Suriname and the teams in this group are Dominica Republic, Dominica and Jamaica. St Kitts & Nevis, Guyana and Cuba make up Group Four, to be contested in St Kitts & Nevis. The CONCACAF Men s Olympic Tournament for 2016 will be hosted by the United States. The details on the staging of the Women s segment will be announced soon. A total of eight teams will play in the Men s category of this tournament. As the hosts, the United States automatically qualifies. Canada and Mexico qualify directly also, while three teams from UNCAF and two from the CFU will qualify by means of their respective regional qualification tournaments. 2015 CARIBBEAN ZONE WOMEN S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING MATCH SCHEDULE GROUP 1 Puerto Rico DATE MATCH NO TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE August 21 1 Aruba Haiti August 21 2 Puerto Rico Grenada August 23 3 Haiti Grenada August 23 4 Puerto Rico Aruba August 25 5 Grenada Aruba August 25 6 Puerto Rico Haiti 5

WOMEN S SCHEDULE...cont d GROUP 2 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO DATE MATCH NO TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE August 21 1 St. Lucia Antigua & Barbuda August 21 2 Trinidad & Tobago Cayman Islands August 23 3 Antigua & Barbuda Cayman Islands August 23 4 Trinidad & Tobago St. Lucia August 25 5 Cayman Islands St. Lucia August 25 6 Trinidad & Tobago Antigua & Barbuda GROUP 3 SURINAME DATE MATCH NO TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE August 21 1 Dominican Republic Dominica August 23 2 Dominican Republic Jamaica August 25 3 Dominica Jamaica GROUP 4 ST. KITTS-NEVIS DATE MATCH NO TEAM A TEAM B TIME August 21 1 St Kitts-Nevis Guyana August 23 2 St Kitts-Nevis Cuba August 25 3 Guyana Cuba SCORE FINAL ROUND TBD DATE MATCH NO TEAM TEAM B TIME SCORE October 2 1 Winner A Group 1 Winner Group 4 October 2 2 Winner Group 2 Winner Group 3 October 4 3 Loser Semi-Final 1 Loser Semi-Final 2 October 4 4 Winner Semi-Final 1 Winner Semi-Final 2 Fixtures & dates are subject to changes 6

2015 CARIBBEAN ZONE MEN S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING MATCH SCHEDULE PRE QUALIFIERS DOMINICA / ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES DATE MATCH # TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE May 21 1 Dominica St. Vincent & The Grenadines May 24 2 St. Vincent & The Grenadines Dominica GROUP 1 HAITI DATE MATCH # TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE June 24 1 Cayman Islands St Kitts-Nevis June 24 2 Haiti Barbados June 26 3 St Kitts-Nevis Barbados June 26 4 Haiti Cayman Islands June 28 5 Barbados Cayman Islands June 28 6 Haiti St Kitts-Nevis GROUP 2 ARUBA DATE MATCH # TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE June 24 1 Guyana Antigua & Barbuda June 24 2 Aruba Cuba June 26 3 Antigua & Barbuda Cuba June 26 4 Aruba Guyana June 28 5 Cuba Guyana June 28 6 Aruba Antigua & Barbuda GROUP 3 ST. LUCIA DATE MATCH # TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE June 24 1 Dominican Republic Jamaica June 24 2 St. Lucia Curaçao June 26 3 Jamaica Curaçao June 26 4 St. Lucia Dominican Republic June 28 5 Curaçao Dominican Republic June 28 6 St. Lucia Jamaica 7

MEN S SCHEDULE...cont d GROUP 4 PUERTO RICO DATE MATCH # TEAM A TEAM B TIME SCORE June 24 1 Suriname Trinidad & Tobago June 24 2 Puerto Rico Dominica / St. Vincent & Grenadines June 26 3 Trinidad & Tobago Dominica / St. Vincent & Grenadines June 26 4 Puerto Rico Suriname June 28 5 Dominica / St. Vincent & Grenadines Suriname June 28 6 Puerto Rico Trinidad & Tobago FINAL ROUND TBD DATE MATCH # TEAM TEAM B TIME SCORE August 14 1 Winner Group 1 Winner Group 4 August 14 2 Winner Group 2 Winner Group 3 August 16 3 Loser Semi-Final 1 Loser Semi-Final 2 August 16 4 Winner Semi-Final 1 Winner Semi-Final 2 Fixtures & dates are subject to changes Caribbean nations benefit from FIFA 11 Health event even Caribbean countries recently completed participation S in a two-day FIFA 11 for Health Programme Workshop held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This event, which was launched last year by CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb and FIFA s Chief Medical Officer Professor Jiri Dvorak, is expected to bring numerous benefits to the region resulting from the emphasis placed on the importance of national health to all the Member Associations throughout the region. The workshop was hosted by FIFA and attended by representatives of the Member Associations, Government and National Project leaders from the Cayman Islands, Martinique, Jamaica, Curacao, Grenada, St Lucia and Puerto Rico. 8 Cont d page 9

FIFA HEALTH EVENT...cont d Webb, in welcoming the project to the Caribbean, said: The FIFA 11 for Health Programme has gained significant momentum since its inception, encouraging participation and investment from various organizations and governments to shape future ambassadors of football and sports in general. Webb added: CONCACAF welcomes this project to the Caribbean region, as it is designed to infiltrate society from a grassroots level, ensuring that our population remains fit and healthy through the power of football. Some of the key subject areas covered during the session included implementation strategy, training courses, project budget and responsibilities of the National Project Leader. Professor Dvorak, in his opening remarks, explained the importance of collaboration in order to maximize the programme s outcome. This project is designed to increase the level of physical activity and improve awareness of communicable and noncommunicable diseases globally. We are excited to launch FIFA 11 for Health in the Caribbean and involve another region to meet our objectives in this area, and we look forward to working with CONCACAF federations to implement the programme. Eric Labrador, President of the Puerto Rican Football Federation, expressed his gratitude to FIFA and CONCACAF for initiating such an important programme. For us, it is a privilege that Presidents Blatter and Webb have considered Puerto Rico as the hub to run this pilot project together with the other six pilot countries. We are counting on the support of the Department of Education and the Department of Recreation and Sports. Together, we are confident that we will continue in the quest to establish a healthier lifestyle for our youth, Labrador stated. The FIFA 11 for Health messages vary based on the region, with the following eleven messages having been developed specifically for the Caribbean region area: Play Football, Respect Girls and Women, Protect yourself from HIV and STDs, Avoid Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco, Control your weight, Wash your hands, Drink clean Water, Eat a balanced diet, Get Vaccinated, Take your prescribed Medication and Fair Play. The next phase will be for participating countries to implement FIFA 11 for Health into school curriculums, using football as a vehicle to promote healthy living from a young age, so that the advantages of a healthier and longer life can be realized. Antigua & Barbuda and Turks & Caicos gets FIFA Gold Project approval Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Member Associations Antigua & Barbuda (ABFA) and the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCIFA) are the latest countries to be approved for the FIFA Goal Projects from the FIFA Development Committee. These additions form part of the nineteen such Projects approved in a meeting opened by FIFA President Sepp Blatter under the chairmanship of the FIFA Senior Vice President Issa Hayatou in the presence of Chairman of the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee, Domenico Scala, on March 17, 2015. Each Member Association will receive US$600,000, bringing the total number of initiatives since 1999 across 206 member associations to 719. 9 President of the Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association Sonia Bien Aime President of the TCIFA Sonia Bien Aime was very pleased with the news and made the following comment to the BEACON, The TCIFA recently completed its fourth Goal Project and has been approved for a fifth. The plan for the fifth Goal Project is Cont d page 10

FIFA GOLD PROJECT...cont d to install seating/bleachers at the National Academy, provide lighting for the artificial turf field and further upgrade areas of the academy. On behalf of the TCIFA and the citizens of the Turks and Caicos Islands I am grateful for the approval of these Goal Projects because we depend on the assistance of these programs to fortify our islands development. Meanwhile, an elated President of the ABFA Everton Gonsalves also spoke to the BEACON about this most recent development. As President of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association and a loyal member of FIFA I want to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the entire FIFA Development Committee for their commitment to and support of the ABFA. My administration will spare no effort to ensure this phase of the Goal Project is completed so that Antigua and Barbuda will have the type of football infrastructure befitting and complementing its unprecedented and undisputed rise and development in football over the past six years and finally provide the people of Antigua and Barbuda with the type of facility that they should have had since 1999.Once again, thank you, FIFA for the game for the world. Other items on the agenda of the FIFA Development Committee were the pilot implementation of FIFA s Connect Programme, which is aimed at creating a worldwide football stakeholder registration ID by 2018/2019, as well as FIFA s initiative to help member associations develop domestic youth football competitions for boys and girls by means of advice, educational programmes, and equipment and teaching materials. Member associations with wellestablished grassroots programmes and a strategic plan for youth football under the responsibility of a technical director will be eligible for the latter initiative. According to Hayatou, While the positive impact of FIFA s Goal projects can be seen in a large number of member associations, President of Antigua & Barbuda Football Association Everton Gonsalves it is our intention to optimize the implementation process and maximize their benefits. In addition, through Connect and the initiative to support domestic youth competitions, we will be targeting two key areas during the 2015-2018 cycle: setting up the first-ever initiative aimed at integrating football data from top to bottom and increasing the number of youth competitions at member association level. The FIFA Goal Project enables beneficiary Member Associations to implement projects designed to develop football in their countries. It is an expression of solidarity that gives national associations with few resources at their disposal the tools they need to function and grow. Though each Member Association has the right to request funding for a project, the project is essentially aimed at associations with the most pressing needs but who are without the resources to respond to them. Goal projects can also provide additional funding for larger projects for which national associations have been able to raise part of the necessary funding. The objectives of the Goal Project are laid out in its regulations. It supports projects tailored to the needs of member associations in areas such as Administration, Training, Youth football and Infrastructure. However, other development projects catering for specific needs may also be considered. FIFA s development budget for the 2015-2018 financial cycle amounts to US$900 million (excluding potential bonuses linked to financial results), which represents an increase of US$100 million on the 2011-2014 period. 10

CONCACAF stages inaugural goalkeeping course in St Kitts & Nevis The Caribbean Islands of St Kitts and Nevis recently staged the inaugural CONCACAF inaugural goalkeeper course in the Conference Room at the St Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) in the town of Basseterre. CONCACAF took a step forward in the evolution of coaching and player-development in the region by introducing the course. Twenty-three participants comprising of twenty males and two females attended the event, which was declared open by the Minister of Sports, the Hon Shawn Richards, and competently conducted by Instructor Claine Plummer from March 26-28. The General Secretary of the SKNFA, Stanley Jacobs, was pleased with the success of the course. The recently concluded CONCACAF Goalkeeping Course has been extremely beneficial for the St. Kitts Nevis Football Association, particularly because we recognize that there exists tremendous scope for development in the goalkeeping position, Jacobs said. We believe that by undertaking a more structured approach to the training of goalkeepers could be a game changer for football development in our country. We recognized that the goalkeeping position, although it remain one of the most critical position on the field, not enough was done in coaching that was specific to the position. Therefore, this course will make coaches rethink the way training sessions are designed to include more structured training for goalkeepers. One of the intended outcomes of this course is the establishment of a Goalkeeping Academy to develop young goalkeepers, he added. According to course participant Ernest Queeley, it was a timely and important course. He felt that it is an area that was lacking in support locally and so the knowledge that was imparted by Plummer was very useful to all participants who were mainly goalkeepers and coaches. Queeley pointed out that Plummer was very knowledgeable and had a passion for goalkeeping. He also recommended that Plummer be sent back to St. Kitts & Nevis to continue to assist with the goalkeepers and coaches for a longer period. The well conceptualised programme provided classroom and field instruction, offering a thorough examination of the technical, tactical and analytical aspects of goalkeeping. Some elements of the course included, video analysis and methodology, training session models, positioning, communication, crosses, distribution and set plays. Plummer is based in California. He began his football career as a goalie in Costa Rica where he was born, before going on to playing collegiate and professional soccer in the United States. He represented his country at the national level as an Under-19 and Under-23 player before playing professionally in the United States. 11

J can Assistant Ref lands FIFA Women s World Cup appointment Jamaican Assistant Referee Princess Brown has become the fourth female Caribbean official to be selected to officiate at a FIFA Senior Women s World Cup finals scheduled for June 6 to July 5. Brown thus follows in the footsteps of Jamaican Paulette Riley, Cindy Mohamed from Trinidad and Tobago and Dianne James from Guyana. The twenty-eight-year-old Brown, an avid and well-rounded sports person, was born in the parish St Elizabeth and was introduced to the sport by Referee Franklyn Brown from the parish. According to Franklyn Brown, his namesake I met Princess some years ago. She is a firm believer in the Almighty God and works very hard. I coached her at the parish and regional levels in Jamaica in various sporting disciplines and knew of her athletic potential. As an active Referee in charge of recruiting Referees for the parish of St Elizabeth, I introduced her to the career and she gleefully grabbed it with both hands, he added. I watched her grow from a seed to a plant. She was always willing to learn. She is very co-operative and humble and is always open to advice and constructive criticism, Brown gushed. She was not naturally gifted but worked incredibly well with what she had; therefore, she deserves all the accolades that she has received and I am very proud of her, he concluded. The well-rounded Princess Brown is also a trained chef and attended the Balaclava High School. She played football in the ISSA Girls Championship, played netball and also participated in athletics where she competed in the 800m, 400m, 4x400m Relays and 1500m at the High School level before assuming football refereeing full time. Quizzed by the BEACON as to how she felt about her recent appointment, Brown was dramatic in her response. A career in refereeing can co-exist with other professions... It builds your character and keeps you physically fit and healthy, O my God! I feel very excited, overwhelmed and very humbled and I just want to thank God. This is my first appointment at a Senior Women World Cup, but I took part the Under-17 World Cup in Costa Rica, the Youth Olympics in Nanjing China and the Algarve Cup in Portugal, she disclosed. The best international game that I have ever officiated in was between Venezuela and Japan in the Women s Under-17 World Cup. This game was very challenging with difficult offside situations. At the end of the day, I got them correct and felt very pleased. I have had games in which mistakes were made but none stands out as being the worst, she said. Brown asserted that her role model is FIFA Referee Cardella Samuels, adding that she is impressed with her performance and attitude both on and off the field. Brown has been well groomed, getting her instructions and training from some of Jamaica s top Referee Instructors, including Peter Prendergast, and they all played a part in creating a healthy environment for her in her development. It has been very challenging for me as a Referee in what could be said to be a man s world, but that I overcame, knowing that part of the development process is for us to compete with males. So far, with very good support from instructors, we as females have been able to perform as well as, or even better, than the males, she contended. 12 Cont d page 13

J CAN...FIFA...cont d She added: We currently have five females on the FIFA list; seven of us consistently officiate in the National Premier League. This clearly shows that we have a very positive effect. When I get older and I am off the list I plan to start a family, and of course continue to give back to the game by way of becoming a Referee Instructor or a Referee Assessor, Brown stated. I see female Referees as just as important as the males now and I would like to see more involvement of females in the game. I would definitely encourage more women to become Referees. Becoming a Referee is a very worthwhile activity for females. A career in refereeing can co-exist with other profession, such as a teacher or a doctor. You also get to meet a lot of different people; travel to various countries. It builds your character and keeps you physically fit and healthy, Brown pointed out. I have travelled to six countries during my career. Refereeing gives lessons about life; it provides challenges, but also has its rewards. It helps us in decision-making, managing situations and building relationships. Most importantly, trust in God as with God all things are possible, she declared. 13

For further information please contact the CFU General Secretariat, Communications Department The Towers - 10th Floor 25 Dominica Drive, Kingston 5. Jamaica Tel: +1(876) 754-4411 / 4657 Fax: +1(876) 906-2973 Email: media@cfufootball.org, info@cfufootball.org 14