Girls’ youth football was the overall winner this past Saturday, September 14 as the 2019 CUC Girls’ Primary Football League (GPFL) Opening Rally kicked off the 2019 CUC GPFL season.

With eight schools participating in this year’s Opening Rally, which included Bodden Town Primary, Prospect Primary, George Town Primary, Savannah Primary, Sir John A. Cumber Primary, St. Ignatius Catholic School, Cayman Prep and Cayman International School, the stage was set for some highly entertaining football.

The event was originally scheduled to be a round-robin tournament where each school would play the other schools once and play seven games throughout the day. Unfortunately, with the intense heat and very, very warm conditions affecting a number of players throughout the day, a decision was made to end the day’s play after a number of schools had completed five games, and others, six games.

Even under the very uncomfortable conditions, the players’ resilience and determination was exemplary. Cayman Prep enjoyed an unbeaten day winning five and drawing one of their six games scoring 12 goals and conceding just one. Bodden Town Primary, Cayman International School, Savannah Primary and St. Ignatius Catholic School tasted defeat only once and a number of games ended in stalemates.

With development, participation and preparation for the regular season the main reasons behind staging these Opening Rally events, the schools bringing larger squads were able to play all their players throughout the day. Schools limited with smaller squads found the conditions very difficult as many of their young ladies were playing competitive football for the very first time. But play they did and throughout the heat, pain and tiredness, they played on.

Special thanks to the league’s youth officials Jonathan Holness, Kandre Amerally, Alex Dailey, Matthew Bodden, Shay and Rio Windsor, and ‘rookies’ Dante Dell’Oglio and Jamar Linton – who did an excellent job officiating all the games throughout the day under the guidance of Chastine Rankine and Shirley Amerally.

The 2019 CUC Boy’s Primary Football League (PFL) Opening Rally takes centre stage this Saturday, September 21 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Annex Field. The 2019 CUC PFL and GPFL regular seasons start on Saturday, September 28 at venues across Grand Cayman.