Festive Tournament Highlights Future Stars
Devonshire Colts were deservedly crowned the ultimate winner of the Expansion League Festive Tournament on Wednesday night [Dec 2] through their 1-0 triumph over arch rivals PHC, however BFA director of technical development Maurice Lowe noted how all teams maintained success stories while competing.
The Expansion League by design offers time for those on the fringes of senior team ball – whether still a bit young and not yet fully equipped for the top flight or at the opposite age bracket fighting to remain relevant – so the squad and coaches can tinker with line-ups and formations and gently blend talent toward cohesion in a controlled fashion.
It also provides outlets for players returning home from academic pursuits abroad to stretch their legs and show off what they’ve learned playing in the prep, academy, and collegiate levels while having access to superior facilities and sports teaching and management resources.
“The main benefit that we get from this competition is that it introduces players that are bettering themselves academically; many of them through sports and football in particular,” explained Lowe, who has oversight with regard to the Festive competition. “It’s important for us to stay connected to them and for them to stay connected to Bermuda football, as well as for our clubs to be able to showcase the success stories that we have.”
“It speaks for itself where there is a large demographic of Bermudian players that are away in school by the effect it has on the Expansion League, whereby the standard or quality declines from what we see from a week to week basis, partially attributable to the positive factor of student/athletes being able to go away to school.
“This competition allows those players to be showcased and you can see a little more liveliness in this competition as compared to what might be normally displayed outside of this Festive competition.”
He concurred that the tournament and league did provide a sort of farm system for clubs, coaches, and players of all ages.
Said Lowe, “It’s tricky because some clubs have players that are young and can’t make it into their senior teams, while some clubs have players that are old that can’t make it in the senior team. So this competition gives opportunity for both of those demographics to get minutes playing football.”
