WICB TOLD TO INVESTIGATE MARLON SAMUELS

ICC asks West Indies board to probe into Samuels matter
Cricinfo staff
October 31, 2007

The ICC board has asked the West Indies board to investigate match-fixing allegations against Marlon Samuels and has accepted the recommendations of the Umpires' Task force after the conclusion of a two-day meeting at its headquarters in Dubai.

After receiving a report from its anti-corruption and security unit, the ICC has asked the West Indies board to is to submit the results of its investigations into allegations over Samuels' involvement in match-fixing by January 31, 2008. against. On February 7, this year, the Nagpur police charged Samuels with sending team information to Mukesh Kochar, an alleged bookie, during West Indies' tour to India. The ICC had allowed Samuels to take part in the World Cup and beyond, pending the final assessment of whether Samuels was involved.

The Umpires' Task Force, consisting of David Morgan, the ICC chairman, Geoff Allardice, Cricket Australia's general manager, Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC's chief match referee, and Dave Richardson, the ICC general manager, had met in September and some of its recommendations included:

· Expanding the Elite Panel of umpires from 10 to 12.

· Setting up of an accreditation process for umpires who wish to gain entry into the International Panel.

· The appointment of five regional umpires to work under the ICC umpires' manager. They will work with umpires belonging to the Elite and International panels from their region as well as visiting umpires.

· Retaining the current policy with regard to the appointment of neutral umpires

· An independent four-person selection group, chaired by the ICC general manager, which will be responsible for the selection of umpires to the panels and for matches.

Other results of the board meeting

· The board formally appointed Morgan as the ICC's president-elect and Sharad Pawar as its vice-president.

· Constitutional amendments relating to the presidency of the ICC were discussed and approved. The ICC president will now have a two-year term without the option of a third term and there will be a regional rotation-policy for the role. The board decided to remove the nomination committee and the nominations process from the ICC's constitution.

· The groupings of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 were released.

· The board approved New South Wales Cricket Association as the host State Cricket Association for the 2009 Women's World Cup.

· The board has decided to commemorate the ICC's centenary, which is in 2009.

· The terms of reference for the setting up of a permanent medical committee were decided upon, with an eye on its creation before the 2008 Champions Trophy.

· The board received an update relating to the audit of the Zimbabwe board, which is being conducted by the South African branch of KPMG, the global accountancy firm.

· A four-member recruitment committee, comprising Morgan, Pawar, Ray Mali, the current ICC president, and Creagh O'Connor, the chairman of Cricket Australia, will be given the task of finding a successor to Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, who is due to resign after next year's annual conference.

The ICC board, which comprises the chief functionaries of the organisation, and the chairmen of Full and Associate members, meets thrice a year to deliberate and decide upon a range of issues concerning the game.

T&T Women's Youth Sailing Team

Please find attached the Press Release for the participation of T&T Women's Youth Sailing Team at the Women's Caribbean One-Design Keelboat Championships, to be held in St. Maarten from the 3-4 November 2007.

Also attached is a picture of the team taken last Sunday 28th October 2007, before their participation in the Heineken Off Season Race, held at TTSA down Chaguaramas. In the picture from left to right: Nephema Callender, Megan Chan Chow, Ella Bayne and Rushell Rousseau.

We hope you will be able to publish the article to give some well-needed attention to Women sailing in Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean.

Kind regards,


Esther van SantenSenior Administrative CoachTrinidad and Tobago Youth Sailing School

Tel : (868) 634-1216/4519/4210

Fax : (868) 634-4376

Email: youthsailing@tstt.net.tt

Website : http://www.ttsailing.org/

Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA goes after Toyota Classic title

Beaten finalists in the 2007 First Citizens Cup Neal
and Massy Caledonia AIA,the pride of Caledonia/Morvant
will have to be at their best to advance in the Toyota
Classic.

This Friday the Stallions take on B Mobile Joe Public
at the Larry Gomes Stadium in one semi final while CL
San Juan Jabloteh will clash with Defence Force in the
other match up.

Automotive giants and business rivals,The Neal and
Massy Motors and Toyota company offices are both in
the community that Caledonia AIA represents.

According to Technical Director Jamaal Shabazz,
Caledonia AIA's aim is to win the Toyota title.

"The format of the tournament,with both Pro and Super
League teams makes it an important competition.As much
as we desire the TT Pro League title.We want the
Toyota Classic".

Shabazz, a former T&T national men and women's
football coach and the current Guyana national
football coach, brings his experience to bear when he
cautions his players on the importance of focus and
mental toughness.

"We are at the business end of the TT Pro League
season.We stumble over the coming weeks and a season
that has being so rich with promise will come to
nothing".

Looking ahead to Friday's semi final .Shabazz is
anticipating the usual war of attrition.

"Joe Public had success against us the last time the
two teams met by playing a high pressure ,combative
and pragmatic game.Our(Caledonia)style is to play
flowing and attractive football.

Therefore self belief,concentration,discipline and
patience will be important if we are to get past the Lions".

CFU NEWS - Warners response to McBeths latest allegation

Warner’s response to McBeth’s latest allegation

 

Issued on October 22, 2007

 

FIFA Vice President Jack Warner today issued a brief response to allegations made against him in the latest BBC One Panorama programme.

 

In the latest episode, which was scheduled to be aired on Monday, BBC Panorama’s Andrew Jennings looks into several issues including one in which former Chairman of the Scottish FA John McBeth  told BBC Panorama that Warner asked him to make the match fee cheque payable to him personally, following an international match in Edinburgh; And why a FIFA Executive Committee member was allowed to pay his national team players only £500 each for their participation in the World Cup, despite securing lucrative sponsorship deals... and then blacklisted them from the national team when they complained.

 

The BBC Release further added: “Speaking for the first time on the subject, McBeth revealed how Mr Warner, who represents FIFA in North and Central America and the Caribbean, had asked him to pay a match fee directly into his personal account.

 

He said: "Trinidad and Tobago came to play Scotland at Hibernian's ground in Easter Road in Edinburgh. And after the game he asked me to make a cheque out to his personal account for the game. And I said 'We don't do that, it should go to the association'.

"I then found out later that he'd approached several other staff in my organisation... to do exactly the same thing."

 

Panorama also asks why FIFA's ethics committee - run by Sebastian Coe - is not taking action. Panorama asked Lord Coe why the ethics committee was not looking into these issues he declined to answer or give any details of his job, referring all queries to FIFA itself.

 

Warner, President of CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union, has since Sunday been asked by several international media companies for a response.

 

He added only : “I have nothing much to say except to say that the statement is a patent lie issued by someone whom I got removed from the FIFA Ex Co and whose memory has suddenly come to life. Let the public judge for itself both the person who is making that statement and the journalist who is writing it and join the dots.”

 

McBeth, in May this year, claimed "poor nations" in Africa have different ethics from the British "fair play" attitude.

 

McBeth said: "As soon as you hit Africa it's a slightly different kettle of fish. They're poor nations and want to grab what they can. I know two or three whom I'd want to count my fingers after shaking hands with them.

 

"I presume the Caribbean is much the same - they just come at it in a different way."

 

Meantime, last  week CONCACAF also issued a release stating :“Panorama's letters to Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer asking whether England can expect Fair Play in a potential bid to host World Cup 2018 are truly curious given that Warner and Blazer are the only two remaining members of the FIFA Executive Committee of the original five that voted for England's previous World Cup bid (for 2006).

 

“The other three, Charlie Dempsey (New Zealand with Scottish birth), David Will (FIFA Vice President from the British Associations) and Isaac Sasso Sasso (Costa Rica, also from CONCACAF) no longer sit on the decision making body. Dempsey left shortly after his refusal to vote in the round following England's elimination for 2006, while Will and Sasso retired from the FIFA body this year. Certainly, if anyone personifies fair play towards England, Warner and Blazer, who supported England's 2006 bid and in doing so stood against the 19 other members opposed, are the ones. Panorama might have asked instead, will it be Fair Play if CONCACAF, the Confederation next in sequence for rotation of World Cup hosts, is denied the right for one of its members to host 2018 in favor of another system instigated by the desire of others to overturn a policy intended to establish fairness?” the release added.

 

TTFF News - Interim captains says players wanted to prove point

Interim captain says local-based wanted to prove worth in El Salvador

 

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, October 19, 2007

 

Interim National Team captain Trent Noel said this country’s  players made their minds up to show that they could compete on the international stage despite being an all local-based team against El Salvador on Wednesday night.

Noel and his teammates pulled off a commendable showing, holding the hosts 0-0 at the Cuscatlan Stadium in San Salvador and gaining some ground on the Central Americans who had defeated T&T in the three previous outings between the two teams.

Only Andre Toussaint and Andrei Pacheco were the players of Wednesday’s team attached to overseas clubs  with four players – Devon Jorsling, Kern Cupid, Keston Williams and Jason Marcano making their senior international debuts. There were others like Keyeno Thomas, Kerry Baptiste, Conrad Smith, Clyde Leon, Seon Power and goalie Marvin Phillips who also came up good on the night.


According to Noel, there is a stigma attached to the home-based players and he feels Wednesday’s result was a step towards erasing feelings that the T&T-based professional weren’t up to standard.


“I think we did pretty good and we have moved a step towards showing we could compete. It wasn’t a winning result and we will not get carried away but I think the boys all showed a lot of heart to come away with the draw away from home and this will go a long way towards us reaching to the higher level,” Noel told TTFF Media.


“I told the guys we’re all local and everyone expects that when a local team represent Trinidad, it’s always a poor result… so I told them lets work hard for each other and surprise people which is what we got.”


“It was a short time to get ready but we know each other in the Pro League. When we came to El Salvador we didn’t get proper training facilities but we made the best of it.”


Noel of CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh noted though that the local-based pros still need to do extra to be able to match or overcome the rest of CONCACAF.


“As coach said we really need to some extra work. They (Central Americans) are more quick and nippy and we need to match them.


He is no stranger though to the possibility that regular, more established faces could return to boost the team which could mean increased competition for places.


“My dream right now is to be consistent on the national team from here until we qualify for the next World Cup,” Noel concluded.

 

TTFF News - Good result away from home

Good Result away from Home…. T&T draw with El Salvador

 

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, October 18, 2007

 

Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Team, with four players making their debut at the international level, battled to a 0-0 draw with El Salvador in Wednesday’s friendly international at the Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador.

 

The team, with CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh midfielder Trent Noel wearing the captain’s armband, gave a gutsy showing before some 13,000 odd fans on a heavy field against a host team that was coming off a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica at the same venue on Saturday.

 

Captained by Ronald Cerritos, El Salvador head coach Carlos Los Cobos used a team comprising of some of his regular first team players as well as some Olympic team members as he as well looked ahead to 2010 World Cup qualification and the team’s Olympic campaign. And though they pressed in an attempt to break the deadlock and hit the crossbar midway through the second half. Cerritos’ men ran into a T&T outfit that was determined not to go down on the evening.

 

Jabloteh winger Jason Marcano was one of the debutants as Charleston Battery’s Andre Toussaint and Caledonia AIA’s Conrad Smith started up front and the defense was held firm by Keyeno Thomas with Kern Cupid also making his debut in defense along with Defence Force’s Keston Williams. They all deserved a clap for a hearty showing particularly in the second half when the game opened up allowing both teams to see more goalmouth action. But Eliseo Quintanilla, who netted in the previous 2-2 draw with Costa Rica, was not as fortunate this time around for the Central Americans.

 

El Salvador got two early free kicks around the T&T box but the visitors were the first ones to get something on goal. A neat combination between Smith and Toussaint allowed Stefan David to shoot over bar on eight minutes.

 

Neither team managed much towards goal with T&T custodian Marvin Phillip being untested until the second half. On 35 minutes, Andrei Pacheco had a crack at goal with a free kick atop the box which forced goalie Henry Hernandez to block low before scrambling to safety as Toussaint rushed in.

 

Ten minutes into the second half, Marcano played one inside to Toussaint with the hosts trying to get organized at the back and the little striker took his chance early but managed hitting over bar from the edge of the box. El Salvador broke soon after but their fans were left in dismay as the attack led to an attempt coming off the crossbar.

 

Then a minute later, Smith collected and pushed forward before dragging a shot low and straight to the advancing Hernandez from just outside the six yard.

 

On 57 minutes the attacks on goal within a six minute period continued. This time T&T were lucky that Cerritos couldn’t get over the ball, blasting over bar when unmarked on the far left of the goal. Three minutes later the veteran captain brought the best out of Phillip who had to pull out all his reflexes to push over a one time volley over from just outside the six yard. Toussaint also had a couple tries later on, both of them going wide from well positioned efforts. Another debutant Devon Jorsling came on to partner Toussaint late in the second half

 

Both teams battled it out in the remaining minutes and though fatigue stepped in late, the T&T “Warriors” were able to erase the 2-1 loss of June to give Rijsbergen a second consecutive draw following the 1-1 result with Guatemala at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup fixture in Boston. In a previous encounter between the two teams in El Salvador, both teams drew 0-0 with T&T winning the home game 2-0 in a 1990 World Cup qualifier with Leonson Lewis netting a double and current goalkeeper coach Michael Maurice being in goal. In the three previous outings before Thursday’s draw, El Salvador won all three games, 3-2 (1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup), 2-0 (friendly in San Salvador) and 2-1 (2007 Gold Cup.

 

Rijsbergen pleased with result

 

T&T head coach Rijsbergen expressed some amount of satisfaction with the showing on the evening.

 

“I think I was satisfied with the performance from the boys. They played with their hearts. There is always room for improvement but we had some new guys in the team but what we saw was a lot of dedication on a very tough field. The grass was very long as well. Under the circumstances it was a very good result. We tried some new players again and some were struggling in the end in the physical part but in general I think it was a pretty decent performance.

 

“These guys got some time in training with another group of players and got use to a little bit higher intensity in training. Marcano did pretty good. At least he is a guy who is willing to work. I kept telling him last couple of days that he has to train a little harder because physically they can improve a lot. We saw Conrad Smith with Toussaint together.

 

“We had some chances but of course finishing of course is the most difficult part. They worked harder than before and this is a plus and a signal for the other players. That’s the only way to improve the game.. in international level they ask more than just playing  a game. They ask for a 100 hundred percent physically fit guy to start a game and that’s the message I gave in the last couple of days. We will use some of these guys again for the future,” Rijsbergen added.  The T&T contingent returns home on Thursday night.

 

T&T team: Marvin Phillip, Keston Williams, Seon Power,Andrei Pacheco (Glenton Wolffe, 73^rd), Kern Cupid, Keyeno Thomas, Stefan David, Trent Noel (Clyde Leon, 77th), Conrad Smith (Devon Jorsling 70^th), Jason Marcano (Kerry Baptiste (65^th), Andre Toussaint

 

TTFF News- T&T try to turn tables on El Salvador (match preview)

T&T try to turn the tables on El Salvador

 

Issued by Shaun Fuentes in San Salvador, October 16, 2007

 

US-based striker Andre Toussaint will carry the brunt of Trinidad and Tobago’s attacking responsibilities on Wednesday night as a Wim Rijsbergen uses another friendly, this time against El Salvador to expose some local talent on the international stage.

 

Rijsbergen, selected just six of the players who represented T&T at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and there are six others who are putting on the T&T uniform for the first time at the senior level. They include CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh forward Jason Marcano, Devon Jorsling, Defence Force’s Keston Williams, Terrence McCallister, Jabloteh goalie Cleon John and Kern Cupid.

 

On Monday night the team arrived to a heavy media welcome at the Comalapa International Airport in La Paz,

 

The local squad, comprising several new faces, will go into action for the first time since June’s CONCACAF Gold Cup during which it lost to the Central Americans 2-1 when a splendid Silvio Spann free kick goal failed to earn T&T at least a point.

 

This time around Spann is not in the mix and neither is captain Densill Theobald nor Dutch-based forward Darryl Roberts. That leaves W Connection and Charleston Battery striker Andre Toussaint and striker Conrad Smith with the workload up front and heavier responsibilities on goalie Marvin Phillip, defender Keyeno Thomas, Seon Power, North East Stars’ Glenton Wolfe, Joe Public midfielder Kerry Baptiste  and Jabloteh’s  Trent Noel among others. The other newcomers will be looking to the do the T&T strip proud from 7pm (9pm T&T time) at the Estadio Cuscatlan.

 

The team arrived in El Salvador shortly around 5:30 pm (7:30pm T&T Time)  following stops in Miami and Nicaragua. Peter Rampersad was part of the traveling party as team manager while Wim Rijsbergen addressed the eagerly awaiting media personnel which included a couple cameramen who had to be hustled out of the team bus prior to its 45-minute drive under police escort to  Hotel Capital in San Salvador. A couple more reporters later tried to force their way into the team’s dinner room attempting to get words with Rijsbergen and photos of the players. They were advised to return for the morning training session.

 

“We are here to play the game on Wednesday which I think is important for us. We have some new players we want to have a look at and I think it’s the same with the El Salvador team. Of course they have some players from their Gold Cup team but they also have some younger guys and they got the draw with Costa Rica on Saturday so we hope it turns out to be a good game on Wednesday. It should be a good experience for our guys,” Rijsbergen said upon arrival in San Salvador.

 

Looking ahead to the game, Rijsbergen remained hopeful of a purposeful showing.

 

“Its’ definitely a chance for some of the local guys to stake a claim and try to improve their game on the international level. We have said before that they need the exposure and that’s why they are here. We will go for a good result and hopefully we will get the kind of showing we want from the players,” Rijsbergen added.

 

Andrei Pacheco, attached to MLS team Columbus Crew isn’t worried by the fact that the T&T team has more inexperienced players than usual.

 

“I think they are all looking sharp and they are anxious to play. We have seen what El Salvador plays like before because we played them in the Gold Cup so I think once we settle down we will be able to match them at home and push for a good result,” Pacheco told TTFF Media. “The adjustment to playing a quicker game is process and I am getting more accustomed to it at Columbus and hopefully I can try to get this same kind of work from the other players here as well.”

 

The T&T team could only have a light warm up session on Tuesday morning at the El Salvador Goal Project Centre as a poor outfield didn’t allow for any ball work. Then both T&T and El Salvador had their evening session scheduled for the match venue called off as inclement weather left its effects on the playing pitch and the organizers preferred to avoid further damage before the game. T&T were afforded another training ground, in better condition than the previous one for the evening session.

 

El Salvador will look to Eliseo Quintanilla and Shaw Martin who both got goals in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Costa Rica. They have the likes of Ronald Cerritos and Victor Turcios who made up their Gold Cup squad.

 

TTFF News - Two overseas pros in squad for Wednesdays friendly vs El Salvador

Two overseas pros in squad for Wednesday’s friendly vs El Salvador

 

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, October 14, 2007

 

A Trinidad and Tobago Senior National Team, comprising of just two overseas-based pros will leave  at 7 o’clock  Monday morning for El Salvador where it will take on that country’s national team in a friendly international on Wednesday.

 

The two players not based in the T&T Pro League are Charleston Battery forward Andre Toussaint and Columbus Crew’s Andrei Pacheco who have both returned home to finish the rest of the year with W Connection.

 

Head coach Wim Rijsbergen’s squad includes several newcomers as well like CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh striker Jason Marcano, goalie Cleon John, Connection’s Kern Cupid, Defence Force’s Keston Williams, former national Under 17 player Terrence McCallister as well as former national under 20 forward Devon Jorsling.

 

The other members of the squad with some experience at the senior international level include defender Keyeno Thomas, Kerry Baptiste, Seon Power, Glenton Wolfe, Trent Noel, Conrad Smith, Clyde Leon, goalie Marvin Phillip while Stephan David also earns a recall after last appearing against Japan last year. Connection’s Nickelson Thomas is also in the squad.

 

Nine players including the Thomas’, both Keyeno and Nickelson, Noel, Wolfe, Phillip, Baptiste, Toussaint and Pacheco and Power were part of T&T’s 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.

 

Rijsbergen is hopeful of another international friendly before year end where he could look to the services of some of the other overseas-based professionals.

 

“We had a couple of sessions last couple days and I tried to get these guys (working) in a higher intensity because it’s important when we play another international game. We faced El Salvador in the Gold Cup and we want to see what happens with this group of players. We have some new players so it will be interesting to see what happens,”Rijsbergen  told TTFF media after a Sunday morning training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium training pitch. “It was a very heavy field today and it was intense which was good for us.”

 

The head coach, who is assisted by Anton Corneal, Jan Van Deinsen and Michael Maurice, maintained that the door remains open for new faces in the team.

 

“Everybody will have a fair chance. If we think a player can play in the national team he will get the chance. We have been following the competition. We are still looking for players maybe in the US, other parts of the world and of course the local competition. We have seen everybody (at home) and we try to see what we can use for building a team towards the future. Hopefully we have a couple more games to play (before end of year) where we can get to see some other players,” Rijsbergen added.

 

El Salvador, 2-1 winners over T&T at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup in June, drew 2-2 with Costa Rica in a friendly on Saturday. And Rijsbergen is anticipating a competitive game against the Central Americans.

 

“Of course we always hope to get a good challenge and we will try to present the same. It’s important to have the team play international matches and we know how the Central Americans play. It is all part of trying to prepare the team for the next qualification towards 2010,” he ended.

 

TRINIDADIAN GOING FOR CEO OF WICB

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) - Jamaican Michael Hall, St Lucian Ernest Hilaire, and Trinidadian Donald Peters have been shortlisted for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board.

The successful candidate will replace Bruce Aanensen, who resigned in August in a disagreement with the new administration - headed by Julian Hunte - over World Cup payments to players.

A cricket source informed CMC that the three candidates will be interviewed next Thursday by WICB President Julian Hunte, Guyana Cricket Board President Chetram Singh, and Ken Hewitt, a non-member director of the WICB.

The recommendation of the selection committee will then be considered at the WICB directors' meeting in Barbados on October 20.

Hall is the former Chief Cricket Operations Officer of the WICB and has just finished up a stint with Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc.

He has a strong background in sports development and business, having been general manager of the Sports Development Foundation in his homeland Jamaica.

Hall has also worked in various banking and financial institutions, including spending three years as chief financial officer at George & Branday Ltd, where he was responsible for all investment and financial decisions in the bank.
Hilaire was the chief executive officer of St Lucia's local organising committee for the World Cup.

:: WWW.JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM

 

Top US Coach for hurdles seminar

PRESS RELEASE

 

TOP US COACH FOR HURDLES SEMINAR

 

The NAAA's in it's continued drive in development and striving for excellence will be hosting an all day Hurdles seminar on Saturday 13th October, at the Athletes lounge Hasely Crawford Stadium from 9.00.A.M. This seminar will be conducted by coach Curtis Frye one of the USA's top coaches. One of coach Frye's many achievements was Allen Johnson who won four world championship gold medals in the 110M hurdles. This seminar is open to all registered clubs, coaches and hurdlers. Listed below is just some of Coach Frye's accomplishment's.

 

• Named to USA's Olympic Track and Field staff for Athens 2004. Will serve as a USA Women's Assistant Coach for Sprints and Hurdles.
• Head Coach of an NCAA champion team (2002 Gamecock Women)
• Head Coach of two SEC Championship Teams (1999 Women's Outdoor, 2002 Women's Outdoor)
• 1999, 2002 USTCA Women's Outdoor National Coach of the Year
• 1999 USTCA Men's National Indoor Coach of the Year
• 1999, 2002 SEC Women's Coach of the Year
• In 2002 coached athletes who won 7 NCAA titles and 4 gold and one silver medal at the World Junior Championships. In addition had 2 named National Athlete of the Years and 1 named Men's National Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• 2001 Nike Coach of the Year
• 2001 Goodwill Games U. S. Men's Head Coach
• 2000 USTCA Women's Region Outdoor Coach of the Year
• 1999 Assistant Coach for the USA at the World Track and Field Championships
• 1997 USOC Track and Field Coach of the Year
• 1980 North Carolina High School Coach of the Year
• Founder of Speed Elite, formerly South Carolina Elite, a track and field club for serious athletes with the goal of making the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics
• Assistant Coach of 18 ACC Championship Teams
• Coached 6 Olympic medalists
• Coached 17 Olympians
• Coached almost 50 NCAA Champions
• Coached almost 300 NCAA All-Americans
• Coached over 75 SEC Champions
• Coached over 75 ACC Champions

 

Please find attached a detailed bio on coach (Curtis Frye)

 

All media are invited to cover this event and would be given interviews with coach Frye from 12.00. noon

 

For further information please contact Mr. Peter Samuel P.R.O. (498-0219)

TTFF NEWS - T&T prepares for Olympic qualifier vs Cuba next Tuesday

T&T prepares for Olympic qualifier vs Cuba next Tuesday

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, October 2007

 

Trinidad and Tobago will be looking to the services of overseas-based trio of Kevon Neaves, Aaron Downing and Matthew Bartholomew to take them past the Caribbean final round of Olympic qualifiers which gets going here on Tuesday.

 

T&T will host the three-team group which includes Cuba and Grenada with the winner advancing to next year’s CONCACAF Final round leading to the Beijing Olympics. And coach Michael McComie along with Wim Rijsbergen and Jan Van Deinsen finalized the 20-man squad which will go into action against the Cubans from 5pm on Tuesday at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.

 

Neaves, who earned a call up from Leo Beenhakker and came on in the second half of T&T’s 2-0 win over Iceland last February, spearheads the list of five overseas-based players in the team which goes into camp from Saturday. Neaves trained and played that game in London alongside the likes of Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Stern John and Carlos Edwards to name a few.

 

The ex-W Connection duo of Bartholomew and Downing have been absorbing the experience of European football since February in Belgium with Royal White Star Woluwe FC,   while Marcelle Francois and English-based goalie Andre Charles are expected to add a bit more to the T&T outfit. Charles is a former National Under 17 and Under 20 goalkeeper and has been attending Southampton Solent University. Francois, a former National Under 20 team and CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh player is attached to the California University of Pennsylvania.

 

The rest of the team includes W Connection striker Shane Calderon, Joe Public’s Kendall Jagdeosingh, Caledonia AIA’s Carlyle Mitchell, Hayden Tinto, Superstar Rangers defender Corneal Thomas as well as United Petrotrin’s Keon Daniel and Simeon Augustus who impressed during the last group phase in Suriname.  CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh’s Elton John also earned a pick but there is no place for Khaleem Hyland nor Atulla Gurra and Lester Peltier.

 

McComie also had to release defender Radanfah Abu Bakr who, if selected, would have missed the Cuba game having been red carded in the last game against Suriname. It means Abu Bakr would also have missed two weeks of School in England. McComie opted for another local defender instead.

 

“The coaches and I looked at our options closely and this is the final squad we came up with and we’re quietly confident they can pull us through this round,” McComie told TTFF Media. “It’s unfortunate though that we couldn’t get the kind of sessions we wanted which meant that we picked some players based on their performances in the FCB Cup games we saw. And this happened simply because after a meeting with the Pro League and the clubs in an attempt to arrange for the release of players for training, the League got back to us too late. So we return to the training ground this Saturday.

 

“We went with the players we felt are in better form right now and of course we also feel that the overseas-based players will bring the kind of leadership and form that we need to get by these teams, particularly Cuba. We think Cuba is the best prepared team in this group and that game will be a difficult one no two ways about it.  We need to prepare well for them and stick to our game plan,” McComie added.  The rest of the team is Larry Bacchus, Devon Drayton (United Petrotrin); Marcus Ambrose (Caledonia AIA); Alkie Edwards (Defence Force); Kevin Mussio (St Anthony’s College); Kareem Gray (W Connection) and Christopher Sam (Police FC).

Olympic Qualifier fixtures
  9/10/2007 T&T vs Cuba 5:00pm Marvin Lee Stadium

11/10/2007 Cuba vs Grenada 5:00pm, Marvin Lee Stadium       

 13/10/2007 T&T vs  Grenada 5:00pm, Marvin Lee Stadium

T&T WOMEN THRASH ST VINCENT IN OLYMPIC OPENER

T&T WOMEN THRASH ST VINCENT IN OLYMPIC OPENER     

 

Trinidad and Tobago's Olympic Women's team kicked off their Beijing qualifying campaign with a convincing 9-0 whipping of St Vincent and the Grenadines at the at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium in Paramaribo on Tuesday.

The T&T team was led by Avenell Isaac who struck four times while Tasha St Louis got a brace and Nikeisha Noel, Maria Shade and Niasha Reyes added others to make sure of the three points.

In the other encounter hosts Suriname thumped Grenada 6-1. T&T takes on Grenada in its second game on Thursday at the same venue.

 The quadrangular concludes on Sunday with St. Vincent & The Grenadines facing Grenada and then Surinam greeting Trinidad & Tobago.

The winner of Group A will join the victors from the other three Caribbean Groups in the second round later this year with the top two teams progressing to the final round of 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification. (October 3, 2007.Photo shows Tasha St Louis)

 

Group A – Paramaribo, SURINAM; Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadium

02.10.2007: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES 9:0 (2:0) (A: 85)

Tasha ST. LOUIS 17’, 51’; Avenell ISAAC 19’, 47’, 78’, 85’; Nikeisha NOEL 52’; Mariah SHADE 72’; Niasha REYES 90’+

 

TRI: Kimika Forbes – Ayana Russell, Annalis Cummings, Nadia James, Niasha Reyes, Rae Ann Elder (53: Karyn Forbes), Nikeisha Noel (82: Kenya Charles), Tasha St. Louis, Avenell Isaac, Patrice Superville, Alania Burgin (56: Mariah Shade). Booked: none

TD: Marlon CHARLES

 

VIN: Asha Richards – Alicia Pilgrim, Keisha Morgan, Shadel Cyrus (39: Mishka Quashie), Roxanne Hannaway, Matika Ferdinand, Jessica Miller, Samantha Carrington, Amanda Timm, Arima Franklyn (60: Kimisha Stephens), Akiria Samuel (86: Ria Trimmingham). Booked: Samuel 16’

TD: Seamus MCCARTHY

R: Otis JAMES (GUY)

 

Shaun Fuentes

 

Caledonia AIA's resolve will be tested.

"Second best is not good enough.You either want it bad
enough or you don't".

Chairman of Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA Brian Lewis
commenting following last night's 2-0 loss to Joe
Public said the Morvant based club is well positioned
to take top honours but the players must step up and
display the champion's heart,pride, mental toughness
and indomitable spirit that separates the champions
from the contenders .

Notwithstanding the disappointing performance Lewis
remains confident that the "Stallions" possess the
talent and potential to rebound in Friday's First
Citizen Cup final battle with Vibe CT 105 W
Connection.

"Our diehard supporters and the Morvant/Caledonia
community expects nothing less"

He however pointed out that while winning the
prestigious and coveted First Citizens Cup will be a
great achievement,the club's primary objective is to
win the TT Proleague championship.

"The intangibles will prove the difference.We cannot
look for excuses.As an organisation we either believe
that we are winners or we don't.Our collective resolve
will be tested but our destiny is in our hands".

NETBALL STADIUM COMING IN BARBADOS

Even as Trinidad and Tobago struggle to get a Netball Home , which they can call their own, according to a report in the Nation Newspapers in Barbados ,The soon-to-be developed BARBADOS Netball Stadium is another world-class sports facility Government of Barbados  hopes to build .

Minister of Sports in Barbados  Anthony Wood said this was in keeping with the mandate of the Government of Barbados for this island to be a centre of excellence for sports.

"If we want to be a centre of excellence for sports, we have to be prepared to build centres and facilities of sporting excellence and the Netball Stadium is no exception. I have said before that Kensington Oval should be seen as the standard for sporting facilities in Barbados and the Netball Stadium will not be the exception," Wood said at the Barbados Netball Association's Salute To The Sponsors last Saturday night at the Grand Salle.

Wood said there was a need to "move with greater haste in preparing the Netball Stadium" because teams continued to suffer from a lack of proper preparation for regional and international competition, placing them
at a disadvantage.

Work on the facility, which is expected to cost in the region of $3 million, should get under way by the end of the year.

"We have been able to get a commitment from the administrators of the Arts and Sports Promotion Fund for the release of the first tranche before the end of this year so that everyone would see a clear demonstration on
the part of Government to put that facility at the Stadium in a state of readiness so that teams would be better prepared for regional and international competition."

Director of Sports Erskine King, who heads the project, told NATIONSPORT $500 000 should be received in the first tranche and the present Netball Stadium would be expanded to include a fourth court, all with wooden floors for netball, volleyball, basketball, badminton and boxing. The expansion would take place in the direction of the shooting range.

"The seating as it stands will be expanded
in the same direction, but will allow for seating on either side near to the range and what would be considered a new court, so you would end up with a seating capacity of over 3 000," King said.

TTFF News - Hislop excited over home tribute game

Hislop excited over home tribute

Issued by Shaun Fuentes, TTFF Media Officer, October 1, 2007

 

Trinidad and Tobago goal guard Shaka Hislop is patting his gloves with anticipation ahead of returning home to play in next month’s matches between his MLS club Dallas FC and a local Pro League all star team.

 

The two games have been arranged as the first of an annual Challenge Cup and an affair to recognize Hislop for his longstanding contribution to the country’s National Team.

 

Hislop is currently still attached to Dallas FC but will not continue on as a playing member of the team following an agreement with the club to release him.

 

But come next month, the former Newcastle United custodian is looking forward to running out in front of his home fans.

 

“I'm very excited about the tribute game! It will give the local talent an  opportunity to showcase their talent against a strong FC Dallas team,  who have their sights on winning the MLS Cup this season, and a very  talented Brazilian team in Atletico Paranaense,” Hislop told TTFF Media on the weekend.

 

“More worryingly it'll give me the opportunity to put on my boots and  pull on my gloves for one last time.

 

“This challenge cup will be an annual occurrence but somehow, after this  year, I don't think anyone will allow me near a goalpost! So I have to  make the most of it,” Hislop continued with a chuckle.

 

Hislop also gave some more insight into his involvement with the Football Players Association of T&T (FPATT) in his role as President.

 

He explained the recent addition of former T&T captain Dwight Yorke as well as other overseas-based players to the association which he adds will be going at length to establish a steady working relationship with the TTFF.

 

“Dwight's decision to join FPATT is purely because he feels that even

 his voice will be better heard in local football by being a part of the

 organization.  Dwight has never been a part of the court action initiated

 by 16 of his teammates and still doesn't intend to be. As much as

 people are trying to draw parallels between the two groups, which is

 understandable,  FPATT is only concerned with the broader general membership.

 The court case has been initiated independently of FPATT and funded

 independently of FPATT and Dwights understands this,” Hislop stated.

 

 

“We certainly hope to meet with the TTFF sooner rather than later. As always we welcome dialogue  with the TTFF to address the greater need and concerns of the local game.”

 

The ex-West Ham standout didn’t hold back on FPATT’s rate of progress though although he joked about not being quite clear on the status of their name with it already being used by the Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago.

 

“At FPATT we're still trying to get our house in order. In that I mean

 we have to finalise our offerings to our members, what we hope to offer

 and what we can realistically at these early stages afford to offer.

 Once we begin to address the concerns of our members we have to be fully

 prepared for the responsibility. It's imperative  that we are fully

 prepared for that even if means us taking a little longer in launching our

 programs. Realistically speaking, we're probably ahead of where most

 would expect us to be at this point in our own development, but there is

 still a lot of work to be done,” he explained.

 

FPATT itself is hoping to secure as many Pro League players possible as members. But Hislop added that signings haven’t been obtained because of the fact that the Players Association business is still green in the local game.

 

“We are currently targeting all of the Pro League clubs and players. Our

 membership numbers probably aren't as high as we would like right now,

 but maybe that is understandable. This is all very new to the local

 players and they are waiting to see exactly what we can offer them. Saying

 that nearly all of the T&T players currently playing abroad have

 signed up, as they fully understand and appreciate the need and function of

 a players' association. It'll give the players a unified voice and the

 opportunity to directly affect their own profession.

 

“As keenly as we follow local football, we have to get our offerings in

 place for the general membership. That really is occupying our

 thoughts, and has been for some time. Every now and then we are prompted in to

 action whenever we've been asked, some of those instance have been

 widely publicized and yet others remained behind closed doors, which is how

 we'd prefer to conduct our business,” Hislop ended.