VSADC Youth Academy Attendees Making Waves In School Football

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ttendees of the VSADC Youth Academy are making waves in the school football system both in Saint Lucia and in the United States.

VSADC Youth Academy attendees Akil Gabriel, Giovanni Saltibus and Meshema Charles were recently celebrated by their respective schools for their achievements on the field of play.

Saltibus first joined the VSADC Academy at the age of five and has been a member of the VSADC Youth Academy from its inception. Despite being diminutive in stature, Saltibus currently captains the club’s U 17 team and is a starting center back for the U 19 team.

At the recently held St. Mary’s College sports award ceremony, Saltibus was voted Senior Footballer of the Year at the prestigious academy institution.

Gabriel who also attends St Mary’s College is a speedy and skillful winger and a member of the VSADC U 15 and U 17 teams. Gabriel joined the VSADC Youth Academy at the age of nine and made it a clean sweep for the VSADC Youth Academy, when he was named the Most Outstanding Junior Player at St Mary’s College during the same award ceremony. Unfortunately, Gabriel’s season has been cut short by injury, so he is unable to represent his school and his club during the current inter secondary school tournament and the Castries Youth League.

Further afield another VSADC Youth Academy graduate. Meshema Charles who migrated to the United States, was recently named Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co – Rookie of Week.

Charles who is originally from Marchand was the Academy’s very first goal keeper. He is now a goal scoring freshman forward at Berkeley College in the US.

In a recent game, Charles scored a game winner which was a part of a hat trick on four shots, as his Knights won by 4 – 2 over Vaughn in conference play. His team the Berkeley College Knights have so far won eight matches in the season, with four losses and one drawn match.

The management, coaches, parents and attendees of the VSADC Youth Academy congratulate Giovanni, Akil and Meshema on their accomplishments and hope that they continue to excel both on and off the field.