The Vasco Youth Programme has been invited to send an under-11 select team to take part in the 15th edition of the International U11 Football Tournament of the Azores
The Club’s participation follows an invitation that was extended in November 2022 by officials of Clube União Micaelense, the Azorean Club hosting the Tournament. Featuring 7-a-side football, the tournament comprises 24 teams. After the group stage, there will be elimination stages to determine the winner.
Sponsored in part by the Government of the Azores and by the Ponta Delgada City Hall, the objective of the tournament is to connect Azorean communities from around the world through sport. So far, there are confirmed teams coming from throughout the Azores, the Portuguese mainland, the USA, Canada, Cape Verde, Uruguay, and Kazakhstan. This will be the second time that Bermuda marks its presence in the tournament.
The Select team traveling to the Azores comprises Lucas Amaral, Cameron Camara, Oliver Conway, Julian Hands, Jasper Herrick, Roman Gaglio, Seth Neill, Eben Oosthuizen, Ryan Renaud, Nikolai Shaw, and Austin Viera.
Germano Botelho, Director of the Vasco Youth Program, will lead a coaching staff consisting of Calvin White, Enio Vieira and Reed Gaglio. They will coach the young athletes and chaperone them throughout the trip. Dr Sylvanus Nawab will serve as team medic. Richard Ambrosio, President of Vasco da Gama, will formally represent the Club.
According to Botelho, “We have put together an enthusiastic team to represent Vasco and Bermuda’s youth football talents. This is a great opportunity for our players to hone their football skills in a competitive environment overseas. They are also getting very excited to visit the Azores, which will be the first time for many of them.
We have gone from strength to strength as a program. We leveraged our participation in the 2019 edition of the Tournament to actually create the program we have today.
“We could not run the program or put together this trip without the enthusiastic support of our sponsors and donors. On behalf of the young players, I want to thank them.”
Club President, Ambrosio added, “This is the second time that Vasco will have a presence at the tournament and the first time with the Vasco Youth Program. The previous tournament participants performed well and represented their Club and Country with verve and dedication.
“Vasco is very pleased for the team to be going to the Azores. This is a prestigious tournament that has been put together by a prestigious Club.
“On behalf of the Vasco Board, I thank Clube União Micaelense for the invite. I also thank our dedicated coaching and support staff who are traveling with the young players to the Azores. I wish them the best of luck as they take part in the tournament.”
The Vasco Delegation will be attending the tournament on a specially organized charter flight in conjunction with Trip Ltd. The flight will depart Bermuda on Monday, 3 April 2023 and return on Monday, 10 April 2023. There are limited spaces on the flight for members of the public. Anyone wishing to visit the Azores for Easter can contact Luisa Da Ponte at Trip Ltd on 292-8747 or by e-mail: luisa@trip.bm.
To assist the team with its fundraising efforts, the Club will hold a fundraising dinner on Saturday, 4 March 2023 at 7pm. Tickets will be $45 for adults and $30 for children, 12 and under. Tickets can be bought from the Club via email: info@vascobermuda.org. More fundraising initiatives are being planned, and details will be shared with the public soon.
Outside of the football pitch, the Team will get to explore the Azorean capital Ponta Delgada, visit the picturesque Lagoa das Sete Cidades and take in the sights of the still volcanically active village of Furnas.
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