A dozen new assistant referees from eight Caribbean islands promoted to the 2022 FIFA list is tangible proof that the CFU’s Under 14 Challenge Series is meeting its objectives.
The Challenge Series—initiated in 2018 and catering to boys, girls and women—are annual development competitions, held in alternating years, that introduces youth players to international competition and, for women, fills a void. The competitions blood players, match officials, local organizing committees and referees from across the 31-member CFU.
The new FIFA refs were pressed into action at the 2021 Boys’ and Girls’ Challenge Series held in the Dominican Republic in August. They saw their competencies rewarded with recommendations to the CONCACAF Under 17 Women’s and Under 20 Men’s competitions for further evaluation, leading to promotion to the FIFA list.
The referees are: Jose Bare and Santa Median Casanova (Dominica Republic); Angelo Doyle (Barbados); Nikesha Gage (Antigua and Barbuda); Natasha Trott (Bermuda); Stefan Dewar and Neressa Goldson (Jamaica); Stefan Maybury and Clinton Hayward (Bermuda); Lenroy Parry and Tyra Wilkinson (St Kitts and Nevis); and Ancie Bernadin (Turks and Caicos Islands). Annays Rosario (Puerto Rico) also debuts on the list.
CFU General Secretary Camara David congratulated the newly promoted referees and said he is heartened to see the inroads being made.
“I commend the referees on the work they put in to get to this point and their promotion to the FIFA list, which for every serious candidate is a main goal. I congratulate them and wish them the very best. For us in the CFU, seeing the strategic vision materialize is fuel to stay the course,” David said.
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