MLS Caribbean Combine Set To Make A Splash
Oct 11, 2013; Kansas City, KS, USA; The Jamaica team starters pose for a photo before the match against the United States at Sporting Park. The United States won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Caribbean region has always been a pipeline for MLS talent, with Jamaica forming the bulk of that pipeline. However, it is in the best interests of the league to look at other island nations for the best footballing talent in the Caribbean and today, the league announced that it is holding the first-ever Caribbean Combine at the Antigua Recreation Grounds in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
The event is a partnership with the Caribbean Football Union and will feature players from ages 18-21, representing 16 different Caribbean nations. The Caribbean Combine is scheduled for Jan. 2-4, and what’s at stake is an invitation to the annual MLS Player Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., held from Jan. 10-14.
Here is the list of players that will be taking part.
| Player | Country | Birthdate | Position | Height | Weight |
| Damian J.S. Bailey | Anguilla | 5/5/1991 | M/D | 6′ | 185 |
| Quinton T.P. Griffith | Antigua and Barbuda | 2/27/1992 | M/D | 5’9” | 175 |
| Stefan Smith | Antigua and Barbuda | 8/11/1989 | F | 5’11” | 172 |
| Leroy Oehlers | Aruba | 12/12/1992 | D | 5’6” | 160 |
| Drewonde Bascome | Bermuda | 11/17/1992 | M | 5’7” | 160 |
| Ramon Sealy | Cayman Islands | 4/22/1991 | GK | 6’2” | 185 |
| Quinton C.E. Christina | Curaçao | 5/3/1995 | F/D | ||
| Malcolm Joseph | Dominica | 10/10/1993 | D | 6’2” | 155 |
| Delbert Graham | Dominica | 7/2/1993 | M | 6′ | 160 |
| Vladimir Pascal | Guadeloupe | 5/27/1992 | M/F | 5’8” | 154 |
| Steven Davidas | Guadeloupe | 3/17/1992 | M | 5’3” | 121 |
| Jean Ismael Voltaire | Haiti | 5/4/1994 | D | 6′ | 164 |
| Luckner Junior Horat | Haiti | 9/27/1994 | D | 5’6” | 140 |
| Kemar Lawrence | Jamaica | 9/17/1992 | D/M | 5’9” | 156 |
| Kendell Allen | Montserrat | 6/2/1992 | D | 6’1” | 189 |
| Joseph Y. Marrero Garcia | Puerto Rico | 9/4/1993 | M | 5’5” | 140 |
| Samuel J. Soto Alvarez | Puerto Rico | 8/11/1992 | M/F | 5’10” | 164 |
| Jose Sandoval | Puerto Rico | 1/1/1991 | M | 5’8” | 160 |
| Jamal J. Francis | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 3/23/1993 | GK | 5’9” | 170 |
| Kimaree B.A. Rogers | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1/14/1994 | F/M | 5’10” | 159 |
| Eden Charles | Saint Lucia | 10/19/1993 | M | 6′ | 160 |
| Stefano Rodney Rijssel | Suriname | 3/26/1992 | F/M | 5’6” | 171 |
| Miguel Danny Darson | Suriname | 5/27/1993 | D | 5’4” | 145 |
| Kavon Troy Ceasar | British Virgin Islands | 5/13/1994 | D | 6’2” | 150 |
Among those listed include two players from the Cayman Islandsin goalkeeper Ramon Sealy and Matthew Suberan, both of local clubs Bodden Town and Cayman Athletic, respectively.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to try and see how they’d perform between all of the Caribbean prolific players,” said Cayman Island Football Association Technical Director Marcos Tinoco to Cayman27’s Kevin Morales. “I hope they can do good and be seen by MLS coaches, scouts…it’s a great opportunity.”
Another player from the field that is looking to impress is midfielder Drewonde Bascome from Bermuda, and local club Devonshire Cougars. Bascome led the Cougars to the Bermudan treble of the league title, Friendship Trophy and FA Cup in the 2013-13 season.
“As CFU Member Associations turn their attention to Russia 2018,” said CFU Presiodent Gordon Derrick to Colin Thompson of the Royal Gazette, “this is an exciting developmental opportunity for the opulent young talent in the Caribbean to assess their developmental level and the growth required to play at the highest level.
“This partnership with MLS is another way in which we at the CFU are seeking to bridge the gap that exists between talent availability and scouting opportunities that the Caribbean region has received from professional leagues.”
“We recognize that the Concacaf area, and particularly the Caribbean, is rich with soccer talent, and this will be an opportunity for our scouts to evaluate and identify the region’s top players,” addedMLS Executive Vice President Todd Durbin. “Caribbean players from islands like Jamaica, Haiti, Grenada and others have been key performers in MLS.
“This event will help recognise the next generation of MLS stars as we look to achieve our goal of being among the best leagues in the world by 2022.”