MACQUERIPE, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – American collegiate scouts from Butler Community College and Murray State College have commenced a rigorous talent evaluation process at the TTDF Reserve Grounds, where numerous secondary school football prospects demonstrated their capabilities during the inaugural day of the Football Combine and Showcase on December 12.
The event, a strategic collaboration between the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and Next Level Performance TT (NLP), featured approximately 30 female athletes in morning sessions followed by intense male competitions in the afternoon. Notable attendees included SSFL president Merere Gonzales and Trinidad and Tobago women’s national team coach Damian Briggs.
Junior Galvan, assistant coach of Butler Community College’s women’s football program, emphasized seeking “difference-makers” who demonstrate tactical intelligence and aggressive play. “I’ve seen aggressiveness, which is something that you always want to find,” Galvan told Newsday. “There’s been some really, really good ideas on and off the ball.”
Standout performers included versatile defender Kaitlyn Darwent and technical midfielder Orielle Martin, both recently featured in Trinidad and Tobago’s 5-0 Concacaf W Qualifiers victory against Barbados. Galvan specifically noted Martin’s technical excellence and Darwent’s defensive patience and reading of the game.
Murray State College’s assistant coach Grace Houchin, who oversees both men’s and women’s programs, emphasized evaluating intangible qualities beyond physical skills. “I want to see how they act when they lose the ball,” Houchin explained. “How do they talk to their teammates? I more look for things that we shouldn’t have to coach at college level.”
Houchin, who previously recruited Fatima College’s Elijah Camacho, expressed particular interest in Darwent and additionally identified promising talents including Scarlett Cole, Kimora Mitchell, and Daneelyah Salandy. The combine continues through December 14, with scouts anticipating potential recruitment agreements as early as next year.