Although it was initially planned that the young football players join the Liberation Day parade, it may not be possible because the boys, the coaching team led by Nick Swaim and the team managers headed by Peter Coleman are scheduled to leave at 6:30 p.m.
The NMI team will face Macau, People’s Republic of China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Hongkong in the round-robin matches from July 6 to July 8 at the Leo Palace Resort.
Ten teams divided in two groups will be competing in the festival. The other teams are the host island, Guam which will be A1, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, Japan and Korea Republic.
The two top teams from each group, and the best third place teams will go to first playoffs, and the second third place teams and the two teams on the bottom will go to the second playoff series.
The playoff leagues will start in the afternoon of July 8 until the final games on July 10.
The NMI’s U14 team members who were selected after a series of tryouts few months ago, played their last scrimmage on Wednesday at Hopwood Junior High football field as they completed a month-long preparation.
Since they started practicing early in June, the U14 team has developed a very strong defensive play and good speed, according to Coleman.
They boys have spent two days a week mastering dribble and juggling.
The U14 National Team was organized by the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association
The team members are Caleb Arriola, Josiah Orlando both goal keepers, Devin Atalig, Hunter Stewart, Jathan Camacho, Crosby Schultz, Bo Barry, Stacey Escueta, Jake Lee, Jehn Joyner, Clay McCullough-Stearns, Angelo Jones, Andrew Johhson, Keoni Borja, Mickey Coleman, Misaki Cramer, Masami Hirai and Hunter Jewel.
The team’s assistant coach is Brenda Schultz and the equipment manager is John Ravell.
