Schoolgirl footballers to get premier league in 2024

AS THE Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL)'s 60th anniversary is fast approaching there are major plans to grow the league by giving more girls the opportunity to play football. Those plans will include the start of a premiership girls football league in 2024, which copies the premiership boys competition.

Plans for the 2023 SSFL season and next year's 60th anniversary were announced at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Thursday. Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian, president of the SSFL Merere Gonzales and representatives of sponsors were among those who attended the launch.

The league will kick off on September 8 with an exhibition match between last year's premiership boys league champions St Benedict's College and Intercol champions Fatima College at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo at 4 pm.

Girls now play within their respective zones including Central, East, North, South and Tobago. The premiership boys competition has been around for approximately ten years involving schools from throughout TT playing in a league format.

Speaking about this season's plan to grow the girls game, Gonzales said, "We will be embarking on another age group which is the 13 and Under girls to start in September. It is always about ensuring that both the boys and the girls are carried at the same time and none is left behind."

Discussing the 2024 plans, he said, "We will like to also embark on something we have had on the front burner for a very long time. However, due to the covid19 we were affected by it and that is to embark on, hopefully God's willing, for 2024 to have the premiership girls competition as we look forward to 2023 and 2024."

Morris-Julian, who was a goalkeeper in her school days, said, "I must say, Mr President, I will always put in a plug for young women to be part of this football culture. Women in football should not be a thing, it should be an actual reality because we have some young women that could beat you young men here."

Morris-Julian said schools football was an exciting part of her childhood. "The SSFL has a long legacy of fierce competition and friendly rivalry. I grew up in a time with the Blue Thunder (El Dorado East Secondary) and the Green Machine (St Augustine Secondary). It has maintained a strong following from not only the students, but the communities of these schools. To this day everyone could say their favourite football team."

The SSFL can be the start of successful sport careers for many, said Morris-Julian. "I grew up (in a time of TT footballers) Stern John, Dwight Yorke, Jason Scotland (and) Kenwyne Jones. It is not impossible that Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar is among us today."

TV channel SportsMax has been a sponsor of the SSFL for years, showing live matches.

CEO of SportsMax Nicholas Matthews said, "We are not just investing for this year. We have happily signed a three-year deal with the association, so we will be here for the next three years continuing this partnership with the SSFL."

He asked for more SSFL support. "I call on all stakeholders, corporate TT, the Government, friends of the league, to put your support behind the administrators and the young athletes of this league. An investment in the SSFL is an investment in the future of TT."

Sponsors of the league who attended the launch were Coca-Cola senior brand specialist Anthony Lovelace, National Gas Company head, communications and brand, Nicola Ghouralal and Shell regulatory and P&A adviser Leston Davis. Kerry Gibbons of SportsMax and Ministry of Sport and Community Development physical education sport officer I Ronson Hackshaw also spoke at the launch.