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Overseas scouts for Girl Power tourney
January 26, 2023
Overseas scouts will be able to view the talent of the top six schoolgirl football teams of last season when the third renewal of the Girl Power Invitational takes place on Friday at Excelsior High School.
The event is held in memory of former Reggae Girl and Excelsior schoolgirl football captain Tarania Clarke and coach Xavier Gilbert argues that the tournament will also provide good preparation for the teams for the upcoming schoolgirl football season.
"Scouts will be there from overseas, from Florida for sure, but I am not sure about the numbers yet," Gilbert told STAR Sports.
"We will have the top teams from last season's schoolgirl league; Garvey Maceo, Holmwood, Camperdown, Greater Portmore and Yallahs high, along with Excelsior.
"The schoolgirl competition is scheduled to start next Friday. So this is good preparation heading into the season," he emphasised.
The Girl Power Invitational is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. The six teams will be grouped into two groups of three. The teams will play in a round-robin format and then play for places based on their position in the groups after the end of the group stage.
The two third-placed teams will play for fifth position, the second-placed teams will play for third, and the two group winners will play for the championships trophy. All teams will get sponsored jerseys for the tournament.
"This is in honour of Tarania Clark, who was an outstanding captain of Excelsior High School. She had just made her senior national debut when that tragic incident occurred. She was such an outstanding leader that we just want to remember her in this fashion, and this is keeping her name alive," Gilbert stated.
"Her family will be there. I have spoken to them and they are always there to support."
The event, sponsored by Florida Kraze Krush, WATA, Golden Crust and Nubian Construction, will also form part of the school's CAPE students' internal assessment.
"They have been planning and doing a lot of things and I have to give them credit for their sponsorship, promotion, and other logistics that ensure the teams are comfortable and that it will be a successful event," he added.
Clarke was stabbed to death during a dispute with another woman in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, in October of 2019.
