Thompson named women’s soccer head coach

Cherlindria Thompson was recently appointed as the women’s soccer head coach of Team Bahamas as the Bahamas Football Association (BFA) looks to revive its national program.

Thompson is no stranger to the local coaching scene. Her first coaching experience was in 2004 as an under-11 assistant coach at the BFA’s Center of Excellence where she served for three years.

After being named head coach, Thompson assembled a staff of assistants. They are: Rhonda Burrows, Jodei Clarke, Gina Stubbs and Ricqea Bain. Thompson said she is looking to set up a Freeport division to conduct identification and training of potential players in the nation’s second city.

Currently, Thompson and her coaching staff have been preparing a group of women for an upcoming tournament. They are set to play in the Turks and Caicos Women’s Football Festival to be held July 28 to August 3 in Provo, Turks and Caicos. They will be going up against the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the host, Turks and Caicos.

“It is a very exciting time for Bahamian women’s football as we return to the international stage. For me, it is an honor to have been given this opportunity to lead this initiative. The fact that I am working with a group of like-minded coaches whose sole objective is to see the national team not only participate, but to compete on a high level, is a good feeling,” Thompson said.

Thompson recently graduated from the University of The Bahamas with a Bachelor of Secondary Education with a focus on Physical Education.

In 2015, Thompson, along with Western Warriors Club President Saskia D’Aguilar, got the Warriors girls youth team to compete in the BFA’s youth league. As the Western Warriors head coach, Thompson was able to help the squad capture the under-19 girls title in the 2018-2019 BFA Youth League Division and Youth League.

As a young player in her heyday, Thompson played in the BFA women’s league, and was a national team player at the under-20 and senior level. In 2017, she played in and was on the planning committee for the women’s football summer league.

Thompson has been involved in football in The Bahamas since 2002. She began playing in primary school and is a product of the BFA’s Center of Excellence. Thompson captained an undefeated Temple Christian High School championship team for three years before receiving a scholarship to play for South Carolina State University. While there, she was the starting defensive midfielder. In her early football career, Thompson also participated in international competitions in Costa Rica and England.

In 2012, after returning home from university, Thompson became the head coach of the Nassau Pirates under-7 co-ed team. Thompson showed her willingness to develop the sport further by coaching in the BAISS (Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools) league with her alma mater, Temple Christian High School, for the 2012-2013 season.

She is passionate about youth development in The Bahamas.

The post Thompson named women’s soccer head coach appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/thompson-named-womens-soccer-head-coach/