(CIFA) GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – Students in the Cayman Islands are receiving firsthand accounts about football’s importance in shaping lives by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the CONCACAF Girls’ Under-15 Championship.

Chairwoman Sharon Roulstone visited high schools to encourage more girls to participate in the sport, while inviting them to attend the matches from August 6-17 in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.

The first-ever competition will feature teams from 16 countries throughout the confederation.

“I hope that the school visits will create an awareness amongst our young ladies that football is not just a beautiful game, but that it actually helps build important life skills,” Roulstone said.

LOC officials have addressed over 500 girls at schools across the Cayman Islands.

“I hope our visits and the CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship this summer will evoke new interest in the sport and, that in time, Cayman will develop strong and vibrant girls’ and women’s teams that will be the envy in this region,” Roulstone added,

The event follows on the heels of last year’s inaugural the Boys’ Under-15 tournament, which was also hosted by the Cayman Islands and was won by Honduras.

“CIFA (Cayman Islands Football Association) hopes that by promoting national representation that more girls will want to be involved in football and aspire to be part of our national program and represent the Cayman Islands,” said CIFA Vice President Bruce Blake. “This is an opportunity for the students to meet and interact with the young ladies that will be representing the Cayman Islands at the upcoming CONCACAF Girls’ Under 15 Championship scheduled for August 2014 in the Cayman Islands. We thank the schools for accommodating us in their busy exam and graduation period.”

The Cayman Islands will contest Group A against Curacao, Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands.