SSFL 23: School football kick-off times changed again, due to “fading light”

The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) executive committee has adjusted its kick-off times again, with all non-televised games now starting at 3.45pm.

Televised matches as well as games pitting Trinidad schools against Tobago schools will continue to start at 3.30pm.

The change takes effect from tomorrow’s Premier Division matches across the two islands.

Games were initially moved to 4pm from 19 September as a way to spare students from the full brunt of the ongoing heat wave—with exceptions made to preserve television schedules and for teams facing inter-island travel.

Temperatures have not cooled noticeably since. However, SSFL president Merere Gonzales revealed that schools and officially were concerned about the fading light at games, which prompted another change by school football officials.

“As we are going further into October, the light becomes an issue now,” Gonzales told Wired868. “So, starting 15 minutes earlier now, we feel would be helpful.”

The move was due to be raised formally at today’s SSFL general council meeting. However, there was no quorum and a rescheduled meeting will take place next Tuesday.

Gonzales said the executive committee did not need general council approval to adjust kick-off times though.

“This is something that really doesn’t need to go before general council,” he said. “At the end of the guidelines, it says the organisers have the right to adjust the rules if and when it becomes necessary.

“A number of teams were concerned about the fading light and we knew we would have to revert eventually. We just were not sure when.”

There will be three 3.30pm starts tomorrow, as second placed Fatima College hosts 11th placed Queen’s Royal College in front of SportsMax television cameras while Speyside High welcome leaders San Juan North Secondary to Tobago and third from bottom Bishop’s High face second placed Naparima College at Lewis Street, San Fernando.

In another change, Pleasantville Secondary will tackle Chaguanas North Secondary from 3.45pm in a relegation scrap at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, after St Benedict’s College snubbed the venue and opted to host Presentation College (San Fernando) at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin instead.

Upcoming fixtures

(Wednesday 11 October)

Fatima College vs QRC, Fatima Ground, 3.30pm;

Speyside High vs San Juan North, Speyside Recreation Ground, 3.30pm;

Naparima College vs Bishop’s High, Lewis Street, 3.30pm;

St Benedict’s College vs Presentation (San F’do), Mahaica Oval, 3.45pm;

Pleasantville Secondary vs Chaguanas North, Manny Ramjohn Stadium, 3.45pm;

Arima North vs East Mucurapo, Arima Velodrome, 3.45pm;

St Anthony’s College vs Malick Secondary, Westmoorings, 3.45pm;

Trinity East vs St Mary’s College, Trincity, 3.45pm.

2023 SSFL Premier Division

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Fatima	15	13	1	1	50	8	42	40
2	St Benedict's	15	11	2	2	51	10	41	35
3	San Juan	15	10	3	2	37	15	22	33
4	Presentation	15	9	4	2	25	8	17	31
5	Naparima	15	8	3	4	48	14	34	27
6	Arima North	15	7	5	3	24	10	14	26
7	St Anthony's	15	8	2	5	34	21	13	26
8	Malick	15	6	2	7	42	27	15	20
9	Trinity East	15	5	3	7	24	28	-4	18
10	Mucurapo	15	5	3	7	28	40	-12	18
11	QRC	15	5	2	8	30	32	-2	17
12	Speyside	15	4	5	6	18	29	-11	17
13	St Mary's	15	5	2	8	26	40	-14	17
14	Bishop's Tobago	14	1	1	12	9	45	-36	4
15	Chaguanas North	15	1	1	13	5	64	-59	4

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