As the national team heads to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Girls Under-14 Challenge Series in Trinidad & Tobago, Saint Lucia will look to capitalise on its recent successes in youth and women’s football.
The action kicks off on Saturday at Port of Spain’s Hasely Crawford Stadium, where the Piton Girlz will begin their campaign against Dominica at 4 p.m. Drawn into Group A of Tier II, Saint Lucia will also face Bonaire, St Kitts & Nevis, and the US Virgin Islands in a single round-robin format.
The group winner will secure a spot in the semifinals, along with the best second-placed team across all three groups.
Saint Lucia’s appearance in this competition comes after the national federation hosted a three-month Under-14 Girls Football Tournament earlier this year. The squad, which departed on Wednesday, also includes two players from last year’s Under-15 national team, defender Aria Andrew and attacker Kayla Polius.
Polius is actually in her third year of national representation. An indefatigable runner, the Roseau native also played in the 2023 edition, scoring four goals. The Girlz recorded a win, a draw, and two losses in Antigua & Barbuda. Polius, a member of CT Foundation FC and a student at the Saint Lucia Sports Academy, also played a role as Saint Lucia made last year’s Concacaf Under-15 League C final against hosts Aruba.
Although the team will miss prolific scorer Amaya Emmanuel from Soufriere, there will be some continuity. Along with the two returning players, five are from Challengers in Soufriere and three from Young Stars in Dennery.
Introduced in 2018, the CFU U-14 Challenge Series caters to boys and girls in alternating years. It introduces players to international competition and aligns with the CFU’s developmental agenda and FIFA’s focus on developing grassroots football in the region.
FULL SQUAD:
Goalkeepers
Faye Fregis, Young Stars
Andrea De Caires, Black Panthers
Defenders
Aria Andrew, NYAH FC
Joyelle George, Challengers
Trudy Joseph, Young Stars
Vernivea Louis, Pein 53 FC
Joyceline Neptune, DX United
Daria Tison, Challengers
Kayla Toussaint, Challengers
Midfielders
Kevlyn Fostin, Challengers
Annamay Louis, Young Stars
Sashaly Martyr, DX United
Kayla Polius, CT Foundation
Lacey Popo, 1987 All Stars
Forwards:
Karimah Ferguson, Challengers
Kianna Jean, Ebony Sports Club
Chassity McDonald, LA All Stars
Akayla Sam, OBLA Fusion
Technical Team:
Shennelle St Louis, Manager
Felix St Rose, Head Coach
Minerva Charles, Asst. coach
Feyella Joseph, Asst. Coach
Wade Clovis, Fitness Coach
