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Maidstone Pumas Jump onto International Stage

Last year the organisation celebrated when Head Coach Norman Navarro was named as a positional coach for the Great Britain Youth Team. Making him the first club member involved with the International organisation. But this year, the Pumas stormed the international scene when Coach Navarro took five players with him to the Youth Trials.

Originally there were nine players slated to go to the trials but due to family commitments only five were able to make the long journey to Bristol’s Filton Wise Sports Academy. Coach Navarro said, “In so many ways this is the most important step forward the organisation can take. Having club representation at the trials shows the BAFA footballing community that we are serious about our football. And more importantly it exposes our young players to the best the country has to offer, in coaching as well as in competition.”

The players making the trip were:

With none of the Pumas’ players having more than 1 years experience and over 140 of the country’s best youth players in attendance our boys had their work cut out for them. Having put in extra practice over the past few months, they rose to the challenge. Youth Team General Manager, Mark Lawrence commented on the extra work the players put in, “I know that they have all been working hard by attending extra practice on Sunday mornings, and I think it helped them to show what they are capable of and to see the level they need to be aiming for.”

All the hard work paid of as we can now report that Frankie Pankhurst has been invited back to the next selection camp to be held on May 8th in Colchester, Essex. This camp will be used to determine the travelling squad for the game against the Dutch Lions.

The other players impressed as well, and all were asked to return and try out next year after taking some time to develop their skills further. Coach Navarro felt that the experience was a very positive one, “My goal for this camp was to get at least one of our players moving forward within the National Programme and for the others to gain that all important experience. That way next year they can come in determined to win a spot in the National Program.”

The Maidstone Pumas season begins May 2nd with a Home clash against the highly regarded Bedfordshire Blue Raiders, 12pm kickoff. Prior to that the club will have its final preseason practice.

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