Junior Lady Jags’ success is no accident — Greenwood

…As coach and staff praise team’s achievement

Guyana’s female under-17 football team, the Junior Lady Jags, and staff of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) are reeling with pride following the team’s qualification for the CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championships.
In reacting to Guyana’s 6-0 victory over Turks and Caicos on Monday, which sealed their Championship spot, GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood credited the Federation’s continuous efforts to develop the sport holistically.

“This back-to-back qualification to the U17 championships is another watershed moment for the country, signalling to the powerhouses of CONCACAF that Guyana has arrived,” Greenwood began.
He added, “Since the relaunch of the women’s programme in 2017, we have seen rapid growth and historical achievements in women’s national team performances as a result of concerted building. This success is no accident; it is clear evidence that the GFF’s National Football Philosophy and robust Youth Development Strategy (are) producing top class performers and coaches.”
This is the second time this team has qualified, but it will be the first time the team actually gets to play in the Championships, after the event was cancelled in 2020.
The Guyanese girls qualified for the Championships for the first time in its 13-year history back in 2019, but as the coronavirus pandemic hit the world, CONCACAF moved to postpone the event, which was scheduled for play from April 18 to May 3. The event was later cancelled.

The under-17 team and support staff are now eyeing the January 22-February 6 event with eagerness, as they hope to make a great showing on the regional stage.
According to a GFF missive, Greenwood cited the coronavirus pandemic as a major roadblock in preparation. However, one aspect that worked to the Federation’s advantage was their Talent Identification programme, which sourced several talented players from Guyana’s hinterland region; one of whom scored Guyana’s first goal in the just concluded qualification tournament.
Greenwood said, “We have made a significant investment into scouting and recruiting players from our hinterland communities, and we are all aware of the high cost of internal travel to places like Kamarang, Waramadong, and Orealla.
“After the identification of players, we invested heavily in bringing the players out for the entire preparation period, covering accommodation, meals and transportation,” he added.
Looking ahead, the GFF Technical Director highlighted that greater investment is needed in order for the Federation to meet the needs of the team.
“For this group of players to continue to grow and build ahead of the upcoming CONCACAF Championships in January 2022, we need real investment and support from the Government of Guyana and our key stakeholders, to maintain team cohesion by ensuring our hinterland-based players are provided with the resources to continue to train with the squad at the GFF National Training Centre,” Greenwood stated.
“The future is bright for the Lady Jags programme, and the best is certainly still to come. The U17 qualification provides another massive boost to the overall programme, and we hope this success will catch the imagination of the general public in Guyana and inspire another generation of young girls to get involved in football,” the TD concluded.
Meanwhile, former member of the Lady Jags, and now Head Coach of the under-17 team, Akilah Castello, is filled with pride at her team’s performance. “I’m very proud of the girls and what they have achieved in qualifying for the CONCACAF Championships,” she shared.
“They worked hard at all times, showed a great attitude in training, and followed the game plans. I want to thank the excellent support and leadership of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Ian Greenwood, the International Support Group, and the GFF Executive Committee,” she said. “There is still a lot of work to be done to prepare the girls for the championships early in 2022,” she concluded.
Also echoing Greenwood’s call for added investment from corporate Guyana was Director of GFF Women’s Programmes, Paul Beresford. “We need investment and support from the Government of Guyana to allow us to perform in the championships,” he said.
“This was an extremely challenging campaign, and both players and staff exceeded all of my expectations. We will start the process of preparing for the next round immediately, and we look forward for the continued development of this group,” Beresford added.