Friendship Allstar have been crowned champions of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-17 Youth Ensemble competition after finishing top of the standings in a six-week tournament involving seven clubs and more than 120 young footballers.
The competition, which ran from September 18 to October 24, featured 21 matches and produced 78 goals, giving emerging players across the region an opportunity to showcase their abilities and gain valuable competitive experience.
Friendship Allstar dominated the standings, collecting 18 points and scoring 22 goals to secure the title. Timehri United finished second with 12 points and 17 goals, while Herstelling Raiders claimed third place with 10 points and 10 goals.
Swan finished fourth with nine points, followed by Pro Elevate Sports Academy on seven points and Kuru Kururu with three. Circuitville Jaguars completed the seven-team lineup.
As champions and runners-up, Friendship Allstar and Timehri United have secured qualification for the national playoffs later this year. They will face leading teams from other Regional Associations in the contest for national honours.
Individual awards recognised two standout performers. Friendship Allstar’s Brandon Bruce was named Most Valuable Player after scoring eight goals, while Keron Accra of Timehri United received the Best Goalkeeper award.
The tournament forms part of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Youth Ensemble Programme, a national initiative aimed at strengthening youth football through structured and consistent competition.
The programme seeks to provide every young player with between 42 and 48 competitive matches each season, recognising that regular match experience is essential to developing technical ability, decision-making, confidence and an understanding of the game.
Beyond player development, the initiative also provides a platform for identifying emerging talent and gives developing coaches opportunities to apply their knowledge and gain practical experience in competitive settings.
GFF President Wayne Forde described the programme as an ambitious undertaking, while expressing encouragement at the commitment demonstrated by Regional Associations, clubs and volunteers.
“Our ambition is to ensure that every young player has the opportunity to participate in between 42 and 48 competitive matches each season. This is about much more than organizing tournaments; it is about building a structured and sustainable development environment in which young players can improve, talent can be identified, and developing coaches can gain the practical experience needed to strengthen the quality of football across the country,” Forde said.
He also highlighted the contribution of Regional Competitions Coordinators, recognising their planning and operational leadership in delivering the programme.
Forde specifically commended Ms. Garraway for overseeing the competition, noting the importance of dedicated leadership at regional and community levels.
The GFF congratulated Friendship Allstar on their championship success and recognised all seven participating clubs, players, coaches, match officials and volunteers for their contribution to the tournament.
With two teams now advancing to the national playoffs, the EBFA competition has provided another opportunity for young footballers to demonstrate their potential and pursue further development through the national programme.
