Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5219/-1/127/
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2007 FEMALE FOOTBALL SEASON ENDS WITH AWARDS "Lil Soldiers" In First Place
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Monday evening this week saw the official closing of the 2007 Anguilla Female Football League with an award ceremony at the Old Caribe Restaurant at the Anguilla Great House. The league was sponsored overall by the Caribbean Commercial Bank which provided the trophies for the winning teams and individual winners as well as cash prizes. In addition there were co-sponsors for the four competing teams.
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Lil Soldiers
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The league was organised under the auspices of the Anguilla Football Association whose President, Raymond Guishard, was delighted over the interest and success of all the teams and the individual players.
In first place were Lil Soldiers, sponsored by the National Bank of Anguilla. Shining Stars, sponsored by Lake & Kentish took second place; and third place was captured by Gazelles sponsored by Definitive Villas. Fourth place went to Youngsters and in fifth position were Superstars whose sponsor was Bryan’s Equipment Ltd.
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Shining Stars
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Colin Johnson, Development Officer for the female footballers, chaired the ceremony. “The 2007 Female Season was a challenging but rewarding one,” he reported. “Once again the local league was sponsored by our committed and dedicated partner, the Caribbean Commercial Bank. Our sponsor together with the Anguilla Football Association, launched the local season with a number of visits to the primary and secondary schools. It began with the 4 v 4 competitions which were won by Youngsters in both junior and senior categories.
“This was followed by the ever famous Backyard Olympics which brought together all five clubs in a series of fun activities. The event was won by Lil Soldiers with Superstars second, Shining Stars and Gazelles in third place. The 2007 Soccerama was won by Lil Soldiers.
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Gazelles
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“The 2007 League was extremely competitive and it was captured for the first time by Lil Soldiers who narrowly edged out defending champions Shining Stars on goal difference. The final competition, the knock out, was captured by Gazelles who secured their first ever championship trophy.”
Chairperson of the Female Football Committee, Diana Carty, congratulated the teams and hoped that they had already started to train for the next season.
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Youngsters
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Speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Commercial Bank, Human Resource Officer, Karen York, said: “CCB has been the proud sponsor for the last four years and continues to be committed to the development of youth and sports on the island. It is a pleasure to see that female football has grown to the level it has over the past five years of the existence of the league. It is also an honour for CCB to be part of such an event and we hope that more female players would take part in such an event and the opportunities that can become available to them.”
Deputy Sports Director, Wilma Proctor, noted that female players were excelling in a sport once dominated by male players. She commended the administrators and coaches who were tasked with the huge responsibility for their teams, often working under tremendous pressure and drawing on their depth of knowledge to get the best possible performance from the players. She also congratulated the teams who, after five years, were still actively involved and enjoying the sport.
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Super Stars
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“The development of sports in our island is still at a learning stage and it would be an unreasonable expectation placed on the Government to shoulder the full financial responsibility considering its numerous other commitments,” Mrs. Proctor observed. “We need private partnerships. I wish to thank CCB for its financial contributions over the years. This demonstrates its recognition of the importance of investing in the community and the youth of Anguilla. The challenge is now for the other institutions to partner with the Anguilla Football Association and contribute towards nation-building by way of our youth.
“Not only do we need the support of institutions. We need the involvement and support of parents in their children’s athletic endeavours. When athletes have the full family support, more often than not they excel and achieve greater benefits than those without parental support.”
The individual awardees were as follows: Best Striker, Melesa Anderson; Best Midfielder, Jaynelle Lake; Best Defender, Melissa Carty; Best Goldkeeper, Davia Hodge; Most Improved Player, Kevina Gumbs; Rookie of the Year, Kerisa Benjamin; Most Disciplined Player, Dee-Ann Rogers; Hardest Working Player, Sharice Richardson; Most Regular Player to Practice, Isabel Rosario; Fittest Player, Khadeema Gumbs; Best Team Player, Geralisa Bordouille; Best Captain, Melissa Carty; Dedicated Officials, Allan Carty, Sanford Richardson and Adonijah Richardson; and Tournament MVP, Melesa Anderson.
The team awardees were: Superstars, Most Disciplined Team; Lil Soldiers, Best Turnout Team to practice; Lil Soldiers, Soccerama Champions; Gazelles, Knockout Champions and third place in League; Shining Stars, second in League and Lil Soldiers, first in League.
Special prizes were awarded as follows: first place Backyard Olympics, Lil Soldiers; second, Superstars; and third, Shining Stars and Gazzelles; the Fair Play Award, Ashley Richardson; Best Preparation for Cuba, Dee-Ann Rogers; and Best Player U-20 qualifiers, Karisa Lake.
AFA awards for the CCB Young Investors Club were presented to five members of the competing teams: Geralisa Bordouille, Jaymese Othello, Kerisa Benjamin, Sharice Richardson and Julessa Thomas.