Youth footballers between the ages of 5-15 are being invited to take part in this year's edition of the
Young Warriors Youth Cup.
The fundraising event is being put on by the Young Warriors Football Club and will run from Saturday,
April 29 – Sunday, April 30 at the Buckleys School playing field.
One of the organizers of the tournament, Colin James explained the reason behind hosting this event.
He was speaking during an appearance on Platinum Sports Center radio show on Tuesday.
"The Warriors Youth Cup is in connection with the Warriors Youth Cup itself. The Warriors Cup would
have looked at club teams, whether it be teams in Antigua and Barbuda or teams from overseas, but that
was for senior players. We have always had a youth component towards the Warriors Cup, and we would
have played from time to time in the past. So again, we needed to look at the whole question of re-
engaging youth from between 5 to 15 years and also looking ahead to the Antigua and Barbuda Football
Association's (ABFA) upcoming youth competition. We felt that it was important to have this Warriors
Youth Cup, to look at players and to recruit new ones for the upcoming ABFA tournament and other youth
competitions that may be coming around," James explained.
It will kick off at 2 pm daily with the first day focusing on the Under-7, Under-9, and Under-11 categories,
while on Sunday the Under-13 and Under-15 matches will take place. The matches will be 20 minutes
long.
While the focus will be on footballers aged 5-15, James did reveal that there will be a few exhibition
matches between Young Warriors and Ovals players above that 15-year-old category.
He is also imploring parents with daughters to allow their girls to participate.
James did mention that it is his intent to extend the event in the coming years so as to facilitate the high
levels of interest.
"I may have underestimated the interest that this competition would have had. Had I been looking maybe
outside of the box, I would have invited an overseas team or two," he added.
Registration is $5 for children 12 years and under and $10 for those 13 years and older.
Persons can contact James at 268-786-0115 or register electronically, by filling out the form on the Young
Warriors Facebook Page.
