Coaches want fostering of schoolgirl talent

Ardenne High coach Tamara Williams and Edith Dalton James High coach Godfrey Walcott hope that continuity of the schoolgirl football competition and a national camp for the top players will help to foster talent good enough for international careers.

Edith Dalton secured their second win of the ISSA/Tip Friendly Society Schoolgirls Football season with a 6-2 win over Ardenne yesterday, spearheaded by a five-goal performance by striker Danishca Rattray.

Ardenne are rebuilding, with the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in them essentially starting from scratch while moulding a young core, which Williams hopes will have long-term success as she assesses ways the high school system can play a part in cultivating talent.

"To get quality players, you need to have a strong high school system, have a pool of players and select the best three out of every team and keep those players in training at all times. So whatever age group comes along, they will be ready," Williams told STAR Sports.

"We just have to make sure that the proper nutrition and everything are there for them. You will succeed once you have a pool like that."

Williams said that the success of the Reggae Girlz, who will be competing in their second consecutive Women's World Cup this summer, has influenced the recruiting of younger players, some from other sports, who have to learn the fundamentals of the game.

"Most of the younger girls are aspiring players. We still have a lot of work to do. We have to teach them roles and functions. We have to get them to that professional level before we start thinking about anything else," Williams said.

Walcott, whose school faced national striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw years ago while she was still a student at St Jago, said that keeping schoolgirl football alive, especially post-pandemic, will be key in providing the environment where talent can be discovered.

"We need continuity because the pandemic has slowed down everything. It is not by coincidence that the national senior team doing well. It is because of the competition that they got.

"I remember our team playing against Khadija Shaw while she was at St Jago, and even though they beat us, it was a good match," Williams said.

"At one point, she had to adjust her play. Those matches and competitions will enhance everybody."