It will?cost about $400 000 to prepare the Barbados team for the qualification campaign of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
And although no information has come from the Caribbean Football Union about the draw for this region, qualification matches should commence in March next year, but team management has already put a comprehensive programme in place to make the path as easy as it can for the Bajan Belles.
Manager Sasha Sutherland told SUNSPORT that head coach Lennux Ferdinand, who is being assisted by Eric Alleyne and goalkeeping coach Russell Hopper, had designed a programme covering fitness, nutrition, tactics and technique.
Assistant manager Elaine Bourne, who works in organizational training, will deal with the mental preparation.
“They have done a tremendous job in terms of laying a foundation; setting up the meal plan, the fitness plan and what the [women] need to do on their own and even when they come as a team,” Sutherland said.
After authorities issued a national call for players to represent Barbados, about 35 responded, and on average, Sutherland said, there were about 18 players at training.
They are on a strict meal plan and medic Susan Goodridge, who is also a registered nurse, has asked each person to keep a food diary so their intake can be monitored.
“It is not really that expensive. What Lennux has tried to do, using information from his network of football coaches and dietitians, is give them things that you can find around, whether it is toast or a boiled egg. It is nothing that means you have to go out of pocket,” Sutherland explained.
The 18 Bajan Belles will start boot camp tomorrow. Players will be cut from the squad in October and they will be required to take a skill test, which has a minimum benchmark of 90 per cent. The overseas-based players will also have to take the test.
That $400 000 would provide the players with everything they need, include going to camp and warm-up matches.
“Our challenge has come with actually implementing those plans because the Barbados Football Association, like all the other sports organizations, has financial constraints. So at this point, we are really looking at in-kind partnerships,” the manager said.