The Women’s National League in the British Virgin Islands has been witnessing a remarkable surge in performance, thanks to the inclusion of tactical skills to complement the existing technical skills.
James Baird, Head of Women’s Football and Coach of the British Virgin Islands senior women’s football team, highlighted the development placing emphasis on the impact that the inclusion of tactical skills has had in transforming the league into a competitive tournament.
Virgin Gorda United, echoing the success of their male counterparts, currently leads the league standings with an impressive 16 points, despite suffering a narrow defeat to rivals Avengers FC. The Avengers’ victory, spurred by Lil Makeda Fahie’s decisive penalty, showcased the intense competition brewing within the league as teams vie for the top spot. Not far behind, Wolues FC occupies the second spot with 13 points, following a convincing 2-0 triumph over Positive FC.
Reflecting on the league’s progress, Baird emphasized the positive impact of integrating tactical strategies into the players’ skill set. He noted a noticeable increase in determination and desire among the athletes, attributing this to the growing cadre of qualified coaches and administrators within the football association.
“What I like so far is there is lots of competition and the girls are having fun. Teams are also beginning to establish themselves, play within systems and generally looking to improve,” said Baird. “Players are starting to understand positional play, you can see they have all been working hard during training and there are no obvious leaders on the park,” he added.
Baird also highlighted the integration of young players alongside seasoned veterans, a testament to the inclusive and developmental attitude permeating the league. He said this synergy between experience and youthful enthusiasm bodes well for the future of women’s football in the BVI, laying a strong foundation for the development of national teams.
