Under-17 captain Jayden Prowell is already planning for the next phase of his career in light of this country's exit from the 2017 FIFA Under 17 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Powell was T&T's top scorer with three goals which was not enough to see the hosts finish as one of the five qualifying teams for the CONCACAF Finals in Panama next year. The 16-year-old Central FC striker notched two goals to lead T&T to the come from behind 3-2 win over Bermuda and he also got on the scoresheet in the 3-2 loss to Jamaica on Tuesday, shouldering the responsibility that was handed to him by Russell Latapy after the opening match with Haiti.
"It was an honour to captain the team and I was happy that I could step up and help my team, especially in the second game against Bermuda. But unfortunately we did not make it," Prowell said.
"Though it was difficult for some of the players who didn't get to play, everyone was still supporting each other and understood the decisions and you could have seen the joy when we got the win against Bermuda. I myself spoke to John-Paul Rochford (the previous captain) before the match against Bermuda and I think these are things that we wouldn't allow to dampen our spirits."
"I am a strong believer in God and I have been telling the guys that with faith in God, all things are possible and we just have to keep on believing and working hard. It is disappointing as players that we are out but I hope we are allowed to stay together as a team and get the chance to keep on building and improving," Prowell added.
US-based Burnett keen to step up
United States Players Development Academy director of operations and Under 18 coach Sam Nellins has given rave reviews on T&T youth team duo Chaz and Josh Burnett.
The brothers have already been enrolled into the national youth team programme with Chaz being called up to the current Under 20 team ahead of the CFU final round in Curacao next month while Josh has been included in the US National Under 18 set up after playing with the previous national under 17 team.
"They're just super talented," Nellins said. "One has got the world at his feet in Joshua. The other one, he's a bully. He's a big, strong boy."
Their father Ted Burnett was born in Trinidad & Tobago but moved to the United States when he was 15. Years later, his sons represented his home country at the 2015 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in Honduras.
"That had a big impact on them," Nellins said. "They saw how other players prepare," a report on SoccerWire.com stated
Chaz graduated from Glen Ridge High School in June. He has dual citizenship with the United States and T&T. He has also made commitment to play on the collegiate level at Rutgers University and he is hugely excited about playing for T&T at the CFU qualifiers.
"I'm looking forward to competing at the next level," said Chaz.
Wales sees improvements in local referees
FIFA referee Caleb Wales believes that local refereeing is entering a phase that will bring about a raise in standard and he expects to see more local officials receiving FIFA appointments for regional and international assignments.
Wales was speaking at the recent FIFA Referees Assistance Programme (RAP) coaching seminar for local elite referees held over five days at the San Juan North Secondary School.
"I think this course benefitted us with the level of training. We had a lot of experienced instructors coming from FIFA and within T&T who shared with us the education and tools that we need to develop as referees," Wales said.
"We were told that we need to improve our fitness levels in order to keep up with the game. The other aspect included the new laws that are mandated by FIFA that we explained in more detail so that we can implement them on the field. We were also evaluated to see at what level we are in order to improve and become better referees," Wales added.
FIFA referee instructor Peter Pendergast insisted that it was important that T&T produce some of the best level of referees in the region due to the fact that the country hosts the biggest professional league in the Caribbean.