For youth football programs across the Caribbean, consistent excellence amid constant roster turnover is one of the hardest feats to achieve. Yet for the Mabouya Valley Under-12 Boys’ team under the Saint Lucia Football Association Inc.’s championship framework, that rare level of sustained success has become the norm. Three years after the tournament’s 2024 launch, the side has not dropped a single match, securing back-to-back undisputed titles following a disputed 2024 result that was later overturned after Canaries was disqualified from the competition.
At the heart of this dynastic run for the east coast Saint Lucia side is head coach Lorenzo Damase, known to nearly everyone in the local football community simply as Coach Flo. In an exclusive interview with St Lucia Times, the coach clarified the common misspelling of his nickname, explaining that the moniker traces back to his childhood admiration for legendary Chelsea and Norway striker Tore André Flo, who inspired his lifelong love of the game.
After clinching their third consecutive championship this season, a visibly moved Flo reflected on the grueling work that led to the milestone, crediting the team’s culture of relentless training and respect for the program’s legacy. “Emotion will come because we work hard for it, training morning, noon, and night,” he told reporters. “I keep on telling them that last year we won that competition, this year we need to defend our trophy because the past players are there watching us, and we need to show them that we could follow their footsteps.”
Flo’s tactical approach prioritizes spatial awareness and quick, collaborative play, designed to build flexible decision-making for the championship’s nine-a-side format. “I usually close the field into space with the width and the length, so I have them play two-touch football and move around and communicate with each other,” he explained. “So when it comes to the nine-a-side, then they’re going to be more flexible in being aware of their surroundings and when to do the pass and when to hold it.”
A core challenge for all youth football programs is managing constant roster turnover: as players age out of the under-12 division, programs must constantly integrate new talent, breaking team chemistry and creating gaps in continuity. To counter this, Flo has built a system that leans on returning veteran players to mentor new additions, blending experienced leadership with fresh young talent. This year, that system relied on standout midfielder Zackim Francois, who carried over his experience from the 2025 championship, and two-time best defender Zaed Willie to anchor the side. “I manage them, I draft them in every year so they could gel with the other players,” Flo said. “Zackim, he’s the senior player from last year, so he was there motivating them and giving them speeches and telling them how it is.”
Flo also shared another unique advantage for his side: nine of his starting players attend the same primary school, Richfond Combined, giving them a pre-existing connection that translates to better on-pitch communication. For the coach, the core mantra that drives the program is “li fot,” a local phrase meaning never giving up. “Li fot means you’re not going to give up. You must love the football for the football to love you. My players, they love the football,” he said.
A native of Grand Riviere, Flo holds the FIFA D License, and while he has expressed ambition to pursue advanced coaching education to grow his skills, he says he finds more fulfillment nurturing young talent in his current community than chasing higher-profile opportunities. “From way back, I just love the game, and I believed that I wanted to be a coach,” he shared. “My philosophy is getting to the youth. I love coaching youth. People would tell me, ‘Why you not take a senior team? Why not take the Under-20 team?’ No, my job is to work with youth and then draft them to help them climb the ladder.”
Flo’s track record of developing talent extends far beyond under-12 success. Last year, he mentored Keevan Louisy, who claimed the tournament’s MVP and top goal scorer honors before Francois took home both awards this season. He has also helped develop senior men’s national team players including Canius and Brandon Sandiford, and he says he is eager to watch his current crop of young standouts, including Louisy and Francois, progress all the way to the international stage in the coming years.