Tryouts for Junior National Academy 2023-2024 ongoing

The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s soccer tryouts for the Junior National Academy 2023-2024 is currently ongoing at the NMISTC in Koblerville.

The tryouts began last Tuesday and continued yesterday. It will be held again on Aug. 29 and 31 from 4pm to 6pm.

Jershwin Angeles, NMIFA coach, said in an email that the main objective of this program “is for our youth players to learn the essential fundamental skills of football and to build a strong foundation needed to become a NMI National Team player in the future.”

On the first day of the tryouts, Angeles said that “It was a good turnout.” There were 29 boys and 14 girls and is expecting more new players to show up in the next sessions.

He said the JNA’s goal is to develop players individually to be creative, tough, and play collectively, “focusing on individual basic techniques and lots of 1v1 and 2v2 in different game situations. These are the fundamental skills that a player needs to build in preparation for their entry to the National Team.”

The tryouts are open to all boys and girls born in 2011, 2012, or 2013. They must be a U.S. passport holder, born in the NMI, or a Green Card holder.

The requirements for players are: they must be registered in a club, can arrange their own transportation to trainings and games, and willing to attend at least 90% of the total training sessions (at least 37 sessions).

The official training schedule is from Sept. 14, 2023 to March 21, 2024, every Tuesday and Thursday from 4pm to 6pm.

A selection of committed players will travel to Guam from March 25 to 28, 2024 to have friendly matches with Guam teams.

Published by Saipan Tribune - Aug 25, 2023