Photo- ©Lyndah Wells
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama — Three young women from Grand Bahama got the opportunity of a lifetime when they competed as part of the Under-17 Bahamas National Football (Soccer) Team in Port-au-Prince, Haiti at the beginning of November for the Caribbean Football Union's (CFU) Women's U-17 Qualifying Competition. Mia Whylly, Kiana Baldwin, and Courtney Moss, all junior coaches in the Grand Bahama Girls Soccer Developmental League, came back to help out with the league this past Saturday after a grueling schedule of training in New Providence and travel to Haiti where they lost their opening match to the Cayman Islands 2-1; suffered a loss to Haiti 5-0; but came out with a stellar 9-0 victory against the British Virgin Islands in their final match.
The girls played to packed large stadiums, screaming fans, and were on Haitian television. On Saturday, November 14, founders of the Grand Bahama girls program honored the girls, saying that they set an example to the younger girls in the league, showing that hard work and determination in soccer can pay off.
More and more Grand Bahamian girls are going off on sports scholarships through the sport of soccer. The girls were presented with trophies from their Grand Bahama coaches and mentors, Donnie and Mary Knowles, who have worked with all three of the girls for years.
In return, as a gesture of appreciation, the girls presented Mr. and Mrs. Knowles with gifts. Persons interested in girls' soccer in Grand Bahama can contact Donnie or Mary Knowles at Town & Country at 242-352-3641.
