By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FORMER national team member Chelindria Thompson is excited to lead the revitalisation of the Bahamas Football Association women’s national team programme as the new head coach.

Thompson, 32, spent the past few weeks preparing the team for a trip to Provo, Turks and Caicos Islands next week when they participate in their first international tournament at the Football Festival.

The team will depart town on Wednesday and will be on the field on Thursday to play the Cayman Islands at 5pm. On Sunday August 1st, the team will take on host Turks and Caicos. On Monday, their final match will be played in the playoffs.

After training four days per week in a closed setting at the Roscow AL Davies Complex, the BFA released the names of the following players selected to the squad:

Kenyonique Thompson, Giselle Laing, Abigail Victor, Brianna Capron, Gabrielle Murphy, Angel Williams, Hannah Darville, Kendi Outten, Asia Williams, Janeka Edy, Julia Raine, Mia Williams, Nia Hall, Shasta Saunders, Alexis Williamson, Cimone Hanna, Jada Thelamour, Tenniya Martin, Hadassah Knowles and Jade Thelamour.

Joining Thompson on the coaching staff are Ricqea Bain, the assistant coach; Charmaine Smith, the team manager; Gina Stubbs, goalkeeper coach and Karen Wert, the physiotherapist. The other members of the training staff are Rhonda Burrows and Jodei Clarke.

“I feel pretty good. The team was chosen from about 40 girls,” Thompson said.

“We spent the past few weeks practicing four times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays for about an hour and a half and on Saturday mornings at 8am.

“Based on what I’ve seen, I feel pretty good about this team. We hope that we can go to the tournament and win. It’s a pretty good team. I’m looking forward to coaching them.”

Thompson is a 2007 graduate of Temple Christian Academy who went on to play for South Carolina State University.

She returned home and helped to form the Western Warriors under-19 girls team that won a BFA Youth League championship title in the 2018-2019 season.

A veteran of 22 years in the sport, Thompson no longer plays as she concentrates on her new role as a coach.