‘Zoom Zoom’, Gosine get 2024 MVP awards; SSFL releases All Star squads

Ace St Benedict’s College forward Derrel ‘Zoom Zoom’ Garcia was crowned the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Player of the Year today, as the governing schools body held its annual prize giving ceremony at the Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce.

Remarkably, Garcia finished as the SSFL Premier Division’s top scorer despite missing five of his school’s 15 league games and then having another three outings—in which he scored three times—voided due to his improper registration by school principal Gregory Quan Kep.

Garcia scored twice in the National Intercol finals when St Benedict’s defeated Fatima College 2-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

Ironically, Quan Kep—who spent the early part of 2025 trying unsuccessfully to overturn a points deduction due to his registration of Garcia while the player was deemed to be an inactive student—collected the gong on behalf of the talented teenager who is out of the country.

Nikita Gosine, the gifted Pleasantville Secondary attacker, was named the Girls’ Player of the Year. Gosine was a losing finalist in the Girls Intercol final, which St Joseph’s Convent won 5-3 on kicks via the penalty mark.

The SSFL’s top five boys for 2024 included: San Juan North Secondary attacker Lindell Sween, Signal Hill Secondary forward Kyle James, Fatima College playmaker Caden Trestrail, and Arima North Secondary fullback Criston “CJ” Gomez.

The school body’s shortlisted girls for the 2024 season, beside Gosine, were: Bishop Anstey East attacker Orielle Martin, Five Rivers Secondary utility player Hackeemar Goodridge, Signal Hill Secondary goalkeeper Kenisha Taylor, and the St Joseph’s Convent (Port of Spain) duo of utility player Kaitlyn Darwent and midfielder Daneelyah Salandy.

The SSFL Boys All Star team:

Goalkeepers: Marcelo Phillip (Presentation College, San F’do), Tyrece Romain (Naparima College), Shemuel Cassimy (QRC);

Defenders: Criston Gomez (Arima North Secondary), Adam Pierre (St Benedict’s College), Yohance Atherton (Fatima College), Jordan Ferdinand (Malick Secondary), Kerron Arthur (Signal Hill Secondary), Rondell Harewood (St Anthony’s College);

Midfielders: Josiah Ochoa (St Benedict’s College), Luke Correia, Caden Trestrail (both Fatima College), Isaiah Jacob (Presentation College, San F’do), Riquelme Phillip (Speyside Secondary), Israel Joseph (Naparima College), Lindell Sween, Jadiel Joseph (both San Juan North Secondary);

Forwards: Derrel Garcia (St Benedict’s College), Kyle James (Signal Hill Secondary), Andell Fraser (St Anthony’s College), Khaleem Prince (Trinity College East), Kyle Phillip (St Mary’s College).

Presentation College left back Duhrell Young, St Benedict’s College defender Joshua Figaro and Arima North defender Ability Hazel might consider themselves unlucky to have been overlooked by the SSFL’s selection panel.

So too would Presentation captain Cody Cooper, QRC midfielder Aydon Caruth and goalkeepers Jadon-Paul Alexander (Arima North) and Thane Devenish (St Benedict’s College).

The SSFL Girls All Star Team comprised:

Goalkeepers: Janike Ramoutar (Pleasantville Secondary), Alexia Dolland (St Joseph’s Convent, PoS), Kenisha Taylor (Signal Hill Secondary);

Defenders: Kanika Rodriguez (St Augustine Secondary), Madison Campbell (Signal Hill Secondary), Mikalah Guerero (Pleasantville Secondary), Madison Campbell, J’Eleisha Alexander (both Signal Hill Secondary), Kimora Mitchell (San Juan North Secondary);

Midfielders: Shaquilla Daniel, Akila George (both Five Rivers Secondary), Sydney Pollard (Miracle Ministries PHS), Makaylah Robley (Signal Hill Secondary), Daneelyah Salandy, Rori Gittens (both St Joseph’s Convent, PoS), Natalia Gosine, Nikita Gosine (both Pleasantville Secondary);

Forwards: Orielle Martin (Bishop Anstey East), Kaitlyn Darwent (St Joseph’s Convent, PoS), Shinika Lewis (San Juan North Secondary), Ty’kaiyah Dennis (Signal Hill Secondary), Aaquila Virgil (Miracle Ministries PHS), Gyasi Lewis (Bishop’s High School, Tobago), Hackeemar Goodridge (Five Rivers Secondary).

St Joseph’s Convent (Port of Spain) and National Under-17 and Under-20 Team defender Mikaela Yearwood might be surprised not to make the running herself.

The SSFL 2023 Player of the Year awards went to Michael Chaves (Fatima) and J’Eleisha Alexander (Scarborough Secondary respectively).

More from Wired868

School reps slam SSFL All Star picks, urge overhaul of selection process

Arima North Secondary head coach Wayne Sheppard, St Augustine Secondary head coach Tacuma Jones and Fatima College manager Stephen ‘Bison’ Read more

Noble: The Arima Warriors—how Dial Dynamos were reborn

The historical overview A Short History of Santa Rosa De Arima by Jean Patricia Elie states: “[...] Arima was effectively Read more

“One of the most creative dribblers I’ve ever seen!” Tiger’s tribute to Leroy De Leon

“[…] A few years later, the Washington Darts joined the NASL and I decided to visit Trinidad on a recruiting Read more

They remind me of me! Yorke names Zoom Zoom, Sween in T&T squad to face Jamaica

Seventeen-year-old St Benedict’s College student Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia is set to make his national senior international debut away to Read more

Des Vignes-Gosine: It’s my job to protect my children; Gosine sisters affected negatively

“[…] I won’t go as far as to say they were being victimised, or maybe I should. “Either way, what Read more

“A footballer of extraordinary skill and vision”, TTFA acknowledges passing of Leroy De Leon

“[…] Leroy De Leon was not only a footballer of extraordinary skill and vision but also an ambassador for the Read more

Editor