BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Cheers, applause and national pride filled the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on Monday, November 2, as the St. Kitts and Nevis Under-15 Boys Football Team, the Young Sugar Boyz, returned home following an impressive campaign at the
FIFA U-15 Boys World Cup and Football Festival in Azerbaijan. Family members, supporters and well-wishers turned out to welcome the young footballers, whose performances on the international stage have given the Federation another reason to celebrate its growing football potential. The Young Sugar Boyz made a strong impression at the tournament, recording three victories and scoring 14 goals against international opposition. Head Coach Diego Pishinin described the experience as a special moment for the country and expressed gratitude to the families who came out to welcome the team home. He also praised the players for their commitment, hard work and determination throughout the competition. “I just want to say thank you for all the families that came to support the kids (at the) airport. That was so fun and so nice and so much love from the parents,” he said of the parents who came out to the airport to welcome the team. “It was a pleasure to be with (the players), sharing a very special moment for St. Kitts and Nevis under 15 in the World Cup in Azerbaijan and again I'm so
proud of the boys. They went there like for a few days of training and they put in the work for all the training sessions that we had there. They fought and they worked really hard every single day and I'm really proud of them,” he added. One of the tournament's standout performers was Kazaii Rawlins, who delivered an exceptional individual performance, scoring seven goals to account for half of the team's 14-goal tally. Rawlins said he was delighted to have contributed to the team's achievements while representing his country on the international stage. “We won some (matches), we lost some and just having fun. (I) scored seven (goals) and got to represent my country. I feel good to make this accomplishment for St. Kitts and Nevis,” Rawlins said. For the young players, however, the tournament was about much more than victories and individual achievements. It provided an invaluable opportunity to gain international experience, develop their confidence and appreciate the significance of representing St. Kitts and Nevis at a global football event. Jonathan Phillips-Somersall described the experience as extraordinary, particularly given the historic significance of the team's participation and its success in Azerbaijan. “It's just a special, special experience and for St. Kitts and Nevis, for it to be the first time and our first World Cup and to be winning games and scoring goals; it's just brilliant; beyond words. I can't express the feeling, but simply brilliant,” he said. The Young Sugar Boyz' successful campaign has generated renewed optimism about the future of football in St. Kitts and Nevis, demonstrating the potential of the country's emerging talent to compete, perform and achieve on the international stage. Their return home marks the conclusion of a memorable chapter for the Under-15 programme, while providing inspiration for the next generation of footballers aspiring to wear the national colours.
