Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship …Haynes excited at being named Best Young Player
By Franklin Wilson
Twenty-one year-old Golden Jaguar beach soccer player Jamal Haynes, a member of the
Champions Panama acknowledges their supporters after receiving the winners’ trophy even as dignitaries applaud.
Attention Family Beach Soccer Club based in the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden has expressed a feeling of excitement having been named as the Best Young Player at the just concluded CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship played at Malcolm Park, Nassau, Bahamas.
Haynes’ speed, team spirit, work ethic and showmanship was duly recognised by the panel which picked the top individual performers from the championship that attracted 16 nations including the likes of new champions Panama, beaten finalists Mexico, USA, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport after receiving the Scotiabank Best Young Player trophy, Haynes expressed delight at being recognized and rewarded for his efforts at his first major international tournament, his only prior experience being the Barbados Beach Soccer Showcase which was held in the Land of the Flying Fish from February 10-12, 2017.
”I’m feeling very excited, first time having gotten this experience oversees in one of the biggest tournaments in the world, so I’m feeling very excited about this.”
Haynes who scored a total six (6) goals in the six matches that Guyana played, said that prior to
Jamal Haynes displays his Best Young Player trophy.
leaving Guyana, he harboured no thoughts of ever winning an individual award but was just focused on going out and executing what his coach thought him to do their best for Guyana.
”My feeling is very high at this moment because I actually made my country proud, they didn’t really expect this from me but I made my country proud and I too am proud of it.”
The Guyana forward said that he would continue to play this version of the sport which is likely to make a quantum leap with regards to spreading across the country.
The former Wisburg Secondary and Linden Technical Institute student is encouraging young players in Guyana to take up the sport and is encouraging them to, “Work hard, stay focused and you will be successful.”
Guyana ended 12th of the 16 teams in its first sojourn at this level this level recording victories over Belize 4-1, while losing to Bahamas 1-4 and Jamaica 3-6 in Group play. In the Playoffs, the Guyanese defeated Antigua and Barbuda 6-4; lost to Costa Rica 2-5; lost to Antigua and Barbuda 6-8.
Following are the final Standings: 1st: Panama, 2nd: Mexico, 3rd: El Salvador, 4th: Guadeloupe, 5th: USA, 6th: Bahamas, 7th: Trinidad & Tobago, 8th: Jamaica, 9th: Costa Rica, 10th: Canada, 11th: Antigua & Barbuda, 12th: Guyana, 13th: Belize, 14th: Turks & Caicos Islands, 15th: Barbados, 16th: US Virgin Islands.
Individual Awards: Golden Ball: Alfonso Maquensi (Panama), Golden Glove: Diego Villasenor (Mexico), Top Scorers: Marlon Meza (Belize) and Jose Ramon Maldonado Alonso (Mexico) (12 goals each), Young Player Award: Jamal Haynes (Guyana), CONCACAF Fair Play Trophy: Canada.
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