Laventille United win twice, Cox Coaching lose thrice in Attin-Johnson’s 3v3

Editor Monday 11 December 2017 Local Football, Volley 1 Comment

Laventille United walked away with two trophies at the end of the fourth edition of the AJI 3v3 Kids Soccer Tournament held at the Hasely Crawford Training Field on Saturday. And, despite reaching the finals in three divisions, Cox Coaching School came away empty-handed.

Cox went down in sudden-death penalties to Elite FC in the Boys Under-8 and Eastern United in the Under-10 divisions and also lost to National Pinks in the Girls Under-17 final. Marabella Family Crisis Centre defeated the Malabar Young Stars 1-0 in the Boys Under-14 Division.

Photo: An Eastern United player (right) makes a timely interception against a Cox Coaching School opponent during the Under-10 final of the AJI 3v3 Kids Soccer Tournament at the Hasely Crawford Stadium training ground on 9 December 2017.
(Courtesy The Attin-Johnson Initiative)

Winning teams received a trophy and medals along with AJI jerseys for each registered player. In addition, the outstanding player in each age group was presented with a trophy and special vouchers from tournament sponsors.

But there is more in the mortar, one might say, than just the medals. National Women’s Team captain Maylee Attin-Johnson—whose brainchild the tournament is—says that, during the July-August vacation period, she will be staging a full-fledged six-week 3v3 league.

If things go well, this will eventually become the official Trinidad and Tobago qualifying tournament for participation in the Disney Tournament, at which top teams from the USA, Canada, Europe inter alia are represented.

The Attin-Johnson Initiative (AJI) founder, expressed satisfaction with this year’s edition of the tournament which attracted 64 boys and girls teams in various age groups, the girls playing in Under-13 and Under-17 pools and the boys in Under-8, Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 pools.

“The boys and girls had great fun and displayed wonderful camaraderie playing against each other,” she said. “The parents and supporters were happy, the coaches were high in commendation and everyone wanted to know when is the next tournament.

“So I feel truly blessed for staging another successful event and I cannot be thankful enough to the sponsors and donors and the entire AJI team, whose support and dedication to the cause I must applaud.”

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Senior Team star Maylee Attin-Johnson (right) presents the Fan Club MVP prize of a Barcelona FC ball to the Boys under-eight winner Kai Williams.
(Courtesy The Attin-Johnson Initiative)

On hand to view the proceedings were Sport Minister Darryl Smith and his daughter, former national captain Kenwyne Jones, national defender Alvin Jones and current National Women’s coach Jamaal Shabazz as well as Attin-Johnson’s National Women’s teammate Kennya “Yaya” Cordner. Also present were T&T and MLS Minnesota United midfielder Kevin Molino and current Naparima head coach Angus Eve, whose son played in the Under-8 grouping.

Smith called Attin-Johnson an outspoken and inspirätional role model who is doing “wonderful things for the youth in our society.” Shabazz expressed the hope that more sponsors will come on board to support AJI and so enable the organisation to expand its efforts to provide a better platform for young footballers.

Well known for her leadership of the national team during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign as well as for her candid comments on footballing issues in the country in general and those affecting women in sport in particular, Attin-Johnson has lost none of her passion. For some time now, she has been insisting that the benefits of 3v3 football are very real.

She remains convinced that the existence of any number of youth football academies and teams across the country has not fundamentally improved either the understanding of the game or the skill levels among the young football-playing population.

Photo: A Cox Coaching School player (right) tries to hold an Eastern United opponent during the Under-10 final of the AJI 3v3 Kids Soccer Tournament at the Hasely Crawford Stadium training ground on 9 December 2017.
(Courtesy The Attin-Johnson Initiative)

The 3v3 format, she argues, represents a tool for developing a better handle on key facets of the game at an early age. Because it features no goalkeepers, it facilitates and encourages the scoring of goals and the positive psychology and joyful conditioning that comes from so doing.

At the same time, it embeds in young players greater confidence in their mastery of the skills that are needed for success in 11 versus 11 full-field games.

She is confident that the future will prove her right.

2017 3v3 Kids Soccer Tournament Results

(U-8)