The Bermuda Football Association announces a new award that has been made possible by 2019 BFA Legend Lesley Cherry White. Through her generous support the BFA will be able to send a female National Academy Player for a training experience overseas every year.
The Inaugural recipient is Katherine Bean-Rosario. Bean-Rosario, who recently participated in the Caribbean Football Union U14 Challenge Series, will join her Under 14 teammate Jahni Simmons at the IMG Academy for a week-long training camp that will include physical, mental, and technical training to aid in their development.
“Last year I watched as the Under 15 Girls were crowned CONCACAF B Division champions and this year the Men performed well at the Gold Cup. Their performances inspired me to find a way to help the next group of up and coming Bermuda female players. Bean-Rosario is an excellent choice by The Academy coaches” says Lesley Cherry White, 2019 BFA Legend.
BFA President Mark Wade, added, “We are delighted that Lesley Cherry White has provided this opportunity. She had an outstanding collegiate career where she won the Conference Championships each year, was an Atlantic Conference MVP and was selected to the All-Conference Team. She was also an outstanding player with the former Telecom and BAA Women’s teams. This support will help our young ladies to follow in her footsteps.”
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Trott & Wimbledon Development Team Draw
IslandStats.com
Nathan Trott took an important step in the right direction by completing 90 minutes for an AFC Wimbledon Development squad at AFC Bournemouth today.
The on-loan West Ham keeper, who had missed the start of the season due to a groin injury, featured in a Wimbledon side consisting of first-teamers and Under-18s. The match was played at Bournemouth’s Canford Park Arena and it ended in a 2-2 draw with Jack Rudoni and Adam Roscrow on target for the Dons.
Wimbledon tried to impose their game inside the opening ten minutes with KJ Osu putting in an excellent early challenge. Bournemouth started to force the young Wimbledon defence back though and Trott needed to stay alert.
With Trott's kicking improving, Wimbledon pushed out again through skipper Jack Rudoni in midfield. There was a great opportunity to take the lead with a through ball for Macnab, but both he and Roscrow failed to capitalize on it.
Just after the half hour mark, Wimbledon marched in front when Rudoni received the ball inside the area and finished well. Shortly afterwards, Kyron Stabana fired just over. Tommy Wood used his physical presence to good effect, aiming to set Roscrow away, but Bournemouth were just able to deal with it. At the other end, Madelin dived in well to win a challenge in midfield just before the break.
Madelin picked up where he had left off in the first-half by making another excellent early challenge. Five minutes after the resumption Wimbledon doubled their lead. Trott pulled off a great save, shortly before Roscrow raced away at the other end to beat Bournemouth keeper Will Dennis and double the Dons lead.
As the game opened up more, Trott was called into action again and Madelin stood out with further ball-winning challenges. Just when Wimbledon appeared to be in control of the game, Bournemouth gained a lifeline. Trott made another good save initially, but he conceded following a goal mouth scramble. Two minutes later, Bournemouth levelled the score at 2-2. Though Madelin continued to shine, Wimbledon became sloppy in their play. With just over ten minutes left, Mark Robinson gave opportunities to Richie Mbele and Jamil Awoyejo.
With Wimbledon put under further pressure towards the end, it proved to be a useful exercise for Trott to shake off any rustiness after injury and show our first-team management that he could be ready for action soon.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Crichlow Grateful for the Mentoring from Watford Players
IslandStats.com
Kane Crichlow is grateful for the mentoring of several first-team players and believes it was a big factor in his impressive start to the Professional Development League season writes Kevin Affleck.
The Bermudian youth international signed from AFC Wimbledon in the summer was taken to Austria by Javi Gracia on the strength of his attitude and performances in the first fortnight of pre-season and he soaked up the whole experience.
Although he didn’t play against Ajax or Bayern Leverkusen, the 18-year-old trained alongside senior internationals every day and got to see how they carried and conducted themselves around the team hotel. In his first competitive match since he got back, Crichlow scored twice and made another against Hull City on Monday afternoon as the Under-23 side ran out handsome 5-0 winners in their biggest win for nearly two years.
“It was a big help,” said Crichlow. “Their level is really high. They are Premier League players, some internationals, and they really helped me prepare for the Under-23 season. Deeney was giving a lot of advice to me. Him and Andre [Gray], [Adrian] Mariappa and [Nathaniel] Chalobah really took me under their wing. I was talking to them the most, getting a lot of advice. They said work hard, keep your head down and continue to work hard, catch the head coach's eye and hopefully get on the bench some time this season.
“It’s was great. Seeing these guys on TV you are like, ’Wow, I want to be in this type of position, travel with them and play with them.’ It’s a real motivator for me.”
The Under-23 side are back in action on Monday night at Sheffield United and that provides another swift opportunity for Crichlow to work towards his target.
“I’ve set a few goal; obviously to score lots of goals and assists for the Under-23s, and hopefully get called up to the [first-team] squad once or twice before December – or throughout the season, really, “he said. "Those are my goals for the first year.”
Monday, August 12, 2019
Crichlow Scores Twice in Watford Win
IslandStats.com
Watford Academy Manager Richard Thomas was thrilled with how cohesive the new-look Under-23 side that featured Kane Crichlow appeared in their opening Professional Development League game against Hull City this afternoon, putting five unanswered goals past the visitors at Vicarage Road.
A trialist put them on their way with a cracker, Crichlow scored twice, Marvin Zeegelaar scored one and grabbed an assist and Joseph Hungbo got the other in what was a very fluid and dynamic performance from a side that featured six debutants in the starting XI and another two off the bench.
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Lightbourne Speaks At CONCACAF Forum
IslandStats.com
Bermuda National Coach Kyle Lightbourne was in Florida as a guest of CONCACAF during the CONCACAF Under 15 Boys Championship.
Lightbourne and others were brought in to speak with the young men about their Football Journey, life as Professionals and also representing their countries in the CONCACAF Region.
