Northern Mariana Islands Football Association will kick off the 2013 season with the staging of the 2013 NMIFA Spring Youth League this weekend at various pitches on Saipan.
The spring league will feature competitions in six age groups-the co-ed U6, U8, U10, and U12, and the girls and boys U15, and boys U18. NMIFA's five regular clubs-MP United FC, Shirley's FC, Tan Holdings FC, Matansa FC, and Paire FC-and a new group will be fielding teams in the spring league.
The U6 age group has six teams and the respective squads drills will take place at Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School, San Antonio, Dandan, Oleai, and Navy Hill. Eight teams will compete in the U8 division and they will play seven games each also at the above-mentioned school pitches. The U10 age group also has eight teams, while nine will participate in the U12 league.
For the competitive boys U15 league, five squads will battle for bragging rights, including defending spring champion MP United FC. Joining MPU on the list are Matansa, Paire, Shirley's, and Tan Holdings.
Matansa and Paire will kick off the action in the boys U15 with their afternoon match this Friday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. Then this Saturday, Shirley's will challenge MP United at 9am, also at the Oleai pitch. Tan Holdings drew a bye in Round 1 of the double round-robin league and will start their spring season campaign next Friday against MP United.
In the girls U15, matches will be played at the Hopwood Junior High School Field. Matansa and Paire will open the hostilities in the girls U15 league as they collide at 2:30pm this Satruday, while Shirley's and MP United will play in the second match at 4pm. Tan Holdings also got a bye in Week 1 of the girls U15 and will play its first game of the season next Saturday against MP United at 2:30pm.
For the boys U18, games will be played both at the Hopwood and Oleai pitches. Tan Holdings will take on Paire this Saturday at 11am at the Oleai pitch, while MP United will have its first game next Saturday against Tan Holdings at Hopwood, also at 11am.
Clinic set for Sunday
Meanwhile, a goalkeeper and field player clinic will be held this Sunday at the Oleai pitch.
NMIFA technical director and CNMI National Team goalie Johann Noetzel will team up with Japan Football Association's Akira Yamanaka and another Japanese coach in conducting the clinic from 10am to 12am.
The clinic is only for registered NMIFA players in the U12 division. Pre-registration is requested by Friday at 12pm at the NMIFA office, located at the third floor of the TSL Plaza.
For more information, send email to [email protected] or call 235-0173.