Bermuda will host Jamaica, Curaçao and St Lucia at the National Sports Centre in group B matches in the Concacaf Caribbean Women’s Under-20 Qualifier next month.

The round-robin matches will take place on July 19, 21 and 23 as double-headers starting at 5pm and 7.30pm. Group matches are also being played in Haiti at the Stade Sylvio Cator and at the Dominican Republic’s Estadio Juan Felix Sanchez Stadium on the same dates, with the three group winners joining host nation St Kitts & Nevis in the finals from November 22 to 26.

Bermuda will play in the second match on the three dates, first against Jamaica before taking on St Lucia and then Curaçao.

In group A, Haiti will host Anguilla, Cuba and Dominica, while Dominican Republic will play in group C against Antigua, Puerto Rico and Bonaire.

Aaron Denkins is coaching the Bermuda team, which contains some players still under the age of 16 who were in the under-15 squad that competed in the Concacaf Championship in Orlando in August last year. They included the likes of Leilanni Nesbeth, captain of that team, ADIA Gibbons, Nia Christopher, Jaden Masters, Trinae Edwards, Danni Watson and Koa Goodchild.

Goalkeeper Micah Pond, who recently toured Scotland with the Bermuda netball team, was the senior schools winner at the Denton Hurdle Memorial Awards last week.

“The team is training six days a week doing a combination of technical, tactical, fitness sessions and practice matches,” Denkins said. “Most of the players are in the National Academy, so they train year-round and are always in a state of readiness for tournaments.

“A number of the players are based in the US, either in college or boarding schools, and a few in the UK, so it’s just a matter of getting them back on island and training with the team. This team in particular is very familiar with each other because they have been training, travelling and playing in tournaments since the under-15 level.”

Denkins hopes the team can capitalise on playing at home and is urging local fans to come out and support them. “Playing at home is something that the players have asked for and deserve,” he said.

“They have represented Bermuda in some of the most hostile home stadiums in the region. Jamaica, Haiti and Puerto Rico, in particular, all have loud, passionate fans that pack the stands to cheer on their girls and jeer the visiting opposition.

“Even in these unsettling and unnerving stadiums, they have been able to become one of the top teams in the region. In the past Bermuda was one of the teams that everyone wanted to play against; now we are more respected.

“It is going to be nice to see them perform in front of home fans cheering them on, it’s going to be exciting. The BFA have worked hard to get the tournament here now it’s our turn to show why we deserve it.”

The tournament is a 1998 birth-year tournament and the team is primarily made up of girls born in 1998 or 1999. “There are a few exceptional under-17s that are in the team, who will be a part of the under-17 national team in August,” Denkins added.

“There are a number of exciting players to watch in this tournament and the players are eager to perform for their country. We need everyone to get behind these girls who have worked hard to get the opportunity.”

Training squad: Nia Christopher, Delia Ebbin, Jaden Masters, Danni Watson, Aida Gibbons, Trinae Edwards, Jadae Steede Hill, Leilanni Nesbeth, Koa Goodchild, Tianna Mullen, Zakhari Turner, Taznae Fubler, Symira Lowe Darrell, Jade Stewart, Teyah Lindo, Micah Pond, Zakiyah Durham, Ember Butterfield, Leah Smith, Victoria Davis, Eva Frazzoni, Jahzyiah Samuels, Zekiah Lewis, Deshae Darrell, Z’ajae Lee.

Group B schedule

July 19: Curaçao v St Lucia (5pm); Bermuda v Jamaica (7.30pm)

July 21: Jamaica v Curaçao (5pm); Bermuda v St Lucia (7.30pm)

July 23: Jamaica v St Lucia (5pm); Bermuda v Curaçao (7.30pm)