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SUNDAY CHRONICLE February 28, 2016
USA based Ralph Green to sponsor EBFA Under-11 League THE East Bank Football Association (EBFA) through its President Franklin Wilson has secured sponsorship for the association’s Under-11 League which will kick off next weekend. Guyana based United States Soccer Federation (USSF) D, C and B (College Level) Ralph Green has agreed to sponsor the league on a n annual basis. Green who is a founding member and current President of the Camptown Soccer Club of New York said that he had no hesitation in partnering with the EBFA for this level of football since setting a solid foundation will ultimately see Guyana’s foundation being a solid one. He commended the EBFA for being very active over the past two years in the area of junior football
development having run off multiple competitions at the Under-11, 13, 15, and 17 levels. “When the proposal was put forward to me by Mr. Wilson, I did not have second thoughts because I am aware of what the association has been doing under his stewardship and I wanted to make my contribution which would be on an annual basis,” Green commented. Green reminded that through the Camptown Soccer Club of New York, they sponsored the biggest Under-15 tournament in Guyana which attracted 16 teams with each player receiving a ball and tee shirt. The EBFA competition will see the teams competing for a 25” lien trophy with the team to win it on three successive occasions able to keep it. That apart, the first,
second and third placed teams will receive medals while the fourth placed team will be
There will also be five individual trophies that will go to the tournament’s Most
EBFA President Franklin Wilson (right) receives the Lien trophy from Ralph Green recently in New York. presented with participatory medals.
Valuable Player, Highest Goal Scorer, Best Goal-
keeper, Most Promising Player and Most Disciplined Player. EBFA Wilson said that the association is very grateful to Green for readily agreeing to commit to an annual tournament. He said that this is not the first time Green is contributing to the association having also run off a two-day coach’s seminar in the recent past. Wilson also informed that the sponsorship agreement has the capacity to be expanded with the benefit of the players at the forefront. “We will review how this inaugural goes and make recommendations for a more expanded tournament next year with the possibility of tee shirts and balls being a reality since we want players to have the ability to play more football
by having a ball of their own.” Wilson, while expressing gratitude to Green on behalf of the association on a recent visit to New York, also informed that a few more individuals have been approached to make this initiative a reality. He said that it is the intention of the association to take the sport to another level as they seek to expand the sport on and off the field of play despite the many challenges. Himself a Youth Soccer Coach since 1989, Green who currently Coaches Academy players for Woodhaven FC (for the past 16 years) as well as Teams in the Long Island Junior Soccer League underscored his commitment to Guyana’s football which he said would take off. Herstelling Raiders FC are defending champions.
Guyana’s squad for CFU tourney Bravo’s half-century gives Windies warm-up win to be named mid-March –GFF GUYANA will participate in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Men’s Cup scheduled from March 2016 – May, 2017, with its team expected to be named by mid-March. The Golden Jaguars has been placed in Group five (5) of seven (7) with Anguilla and Puerto Rico being the other members of group 5. Guyana’s first match will be played against Anguilla on March 23, 2016 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence at 19:00hrs. The second will be played against Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico on March 29, 2016. Anguilla will play Puerto Rico on March 26 at the Raymond E, Guishard Technical Centre, Anguilla. National Coach Jamaal Shabazz said there are no more easy teams in football. Speaking about the CFU draw that pits Guyana against Anguilla and Puerto Rico, “There are no more push-overs in international football. The ball is round and the field is rectangular for everyone.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday February 28, 2016) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & AUDREY’S TASTY SNACKETTE-176 Charlotte Street, Georgetown (Tel: 226-4512)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz:
(1) Rohan Kanhai & Lance Gibbs (79 Tests each) (2) Australia-135 ODI matches
Today’s Quiz:
(1) Shiv Chanderpaul has scored 30 Test centuries. How many have been made against India? (2) How many ODI runs Sir Viv Richards scored?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue
“ How well we prepare is critical. The ability to get the Federation, the staff, the players and the fans to sing the same song from the same book is vital.” Shabazz intends to have a five-day camp before the games against Anguilla and Puerto and also hold one session a week with the main core of the locally-based players. “We must work to raise the level of players and add to the good work done in the clubs “ We are nothing without the club coaches; they do all the work with the players week in, week out. We only have the team for short periods, so we must work together,” stated Shabazz. The Technical Staff is National football expected to name a squad of coach Jamaal Shabazz thirty (30) players by midMarch. The competition will be played in two phases – the preliminary phase and the final phase. (please see details below) Round 1 will be played from March 21-29; Round 2 May 15-21; Round 3 October 3-11; the fifth- place playoff November 7-15; and the finals are scheduled for May 2017. Among the other teams participating in the tournament are Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, St. Maarten, United States Virgin Islands, Cuba, Bermuda, French Guiana, Barbados, Curacao, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, Suriname, Martinique, British Virgin Islands and Dominica. Games will be played in 21 countries.
SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) – A Dwayne Bravo half-century was enough to lift West Indies to an 18-run victory over Zimbabwe, in their first unofficial Twenty20 warm-up in preparation for the T20 World Cup here yesterday. The right-hander struck 55 as West Indies tallied 147 for seven off their 20 overs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Wicketkeeker Denesh Ramdin hit 40 and captain Darren Sammy, an unbeaten 21. Seamers Tinashe Panyangara (2-30) and Tendai Chatara (2-37) finished with two wickets apiece. In reply, Zimbabwe were limited to 129 for seven with Richard Mutumbami leading with 40, Malcolm Waller getting 33 and Panyangara, 25. Bravo completed a tidy all-rounder performance by picking up two for 20 while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claimed two for 25. Bravo’s knock was important after West Indies slipped to 41 for three following the cheap dismissals of Andre Fletcher (1), Johnson Charles (16) and Marlon Samuels (4). Bravo and Ramdin then put on 60 for the fourth wicket to rally the innings past the 100run mark, with Bravo striking four fours and two sixes and Ramdin, two fours and two sixes. Opener Mutumbami then struck six fours and a six to lead the Zimbabwe reply while Waller struck two fours and a six in his knock. Panyangara, who hit a single six, posted 53 with Waller in a threatening fifth wicket stand, after the African side slumped to 69 for four. However, once they were dismissed, the Zimbabwe innings tailed away. Bravo claimed two for 20 from his three overs while Benn finished with two for 25 from his four overs. West Indies will face Zimbabwe again in another warm-up T20 tomorrow.