Naps, Pres rebuilding for 2022 SSFL season

THE 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season kicks off with a rivalry exhibition match between defending league champions Naparima College and Intercol winners Presentation College, San Fernando at Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva on Friday from 4 pm.

Both south teams are thirsty for the welcome return to schools football after a two-year hiatus owing to covid19. Like the majority of other competing schools, both Pres and Naps have lost a large chunk of their 2019 title-winning squads.

Naps also had its longstanding, trophy-laden, coach of the past eight years Angus Eve appointed, in 2021, coach of the national men's and Under-20 teams.

Eve’s team staff also departed which resulted in Naparima recently installing a new coaching staff for the 2022 season.

Former TT footballer Travis Mulraine is now coach, with Anthony Sherwood as assistant. Ex-Naps custodian Rondell Renwick is the new goalkeeping coach, with Devon Wilson (trainer) and Sue-Ann Lamy (physio) completing the staff.

Naps team manager Percy Samlalsingh said, “A lot of the guys (former players) have gone, including the coach and coaching staff. We are also rebuilding, but we have a good group of guys in the team.

“The boys we have on the team were Under-16s (back in 2019) and are now stepping up to the senior level. It’s always a rivalry. The boys are up for it. It’s been a while. We wish Angus the best and move on and see if we can emulate the same.”

He also thanked new SSFL sponsors Tiger Tanks for hosting the Under-20 invitational tournament earlier this year, since it helped several youngsters get back in tune with the sport.

Pres assistant coach Dunstan Williams shared similar sentiments about players moving on over the past two years. Preparation has been a challenge because of recent heavy rainfall, but Williams is happy the boys can return to expressing themselves competitively.

“It’s also a time of rebuilding for us and other schools. We are excited because the players will get back out on the field.

"Some of our older players have left and these are the younger ones.

“We just want to play good and entertaining football so that when people come, they can see a product. We enter every competition to win, but we will do it one game at a time,” he said.

On facing southern rivals in the anticipated SSFL exhibition opener, he added “Naparima is a big school. It’s a rivalry of years, so we look forward to a good game. We will play what we see and continue on into the rest of the season.”

This year, because of financial and infrastructure challenges faced by some schools, the tournament was restructured to into two groups, with eight teams each.

After seven rounds of matches, beginning Wednesday, the top two teams in each group move onto the semi-finals, where group A winners play group B second place and vice-versa. The winners go on to the SSFL finals.

When the league is completed on September 25, the Coca-Cola Intercol preliminaries kick off with north-zone matches on November 1 and the south zone two days later.

For the 2022 season, Tiger Tanks and Ascension have joined longstanding SSFL partners First Citizens and Coca-Cola. Tiger Tanks also confirmed they will continue for the 2023 season.

SSFL round one fixtures (September 14)

Group A: St Augustine vs Naparima College; Carapichaima East vs Speyside High; St Benedict’s vs Fatima College; Pleasantville vs St Anthony’s.

Group B: San Juan North vs QRC; Chaguanas North vs Malick; East Mucurapo vs Moruga; Trinity East vs Presentation College.