Trinidad and Tobago's Andre Raymond knows all too well that opportunities in football often come with their fair share of challenges and setbacks. Though those setbacks are sometimes harrowing, much like his jail-time experience in Portugal, Raymond, like the professional he is, has learned to smile in the face of adversity.

In fact, it is Raymond's resilience and determination that ensured a bad situation took a positive turn and brought him back on track to pursue his professional dreams, as he recently signed with St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership, where he had an encouraging start in a 2-0 win over Morton on Saturday.

“I was very happy with my debut. I needed to get some minutes in the tank and build a bond with the team and the intensity was really high—it was really good,” said Raymond, whose last competitive outing was a friendly international against Guyana in May.

“I didn’t know the coach [Craig Levein] had asked Dan [Phillips] about me. Then, in March, I got a phone call saying he was interested. He’d done some research and liked what he saw, so things started moving then. I made my mind up straight away; I wanted to join St Johnstone because the Scottish league is a top league,” he told The Courier.

Prior to his move to Scotland, Raymond, whose speed, defensive acumen, and ability to contribute offensively made him a sought-after player, caught the eye of scouts from various clubs, including SC Braga, one of Portugal’s top football teams.

The opportunity to sign with Braga seemed like the perfect next step in Raymond’s burgeoning career. However, his aspirations were abruptly halted by an unexpected turn of events.

During his trip to finalize the deal with SC Braga, Raymond was detained by Portuguese authorities for overstaying on a previous visit. This oversight resulted in him being thrown into prison for two days.

“I was at university in America and did one semester. While I was at home, my friend was going with an academy team to Spain. I was dropping him off at the airport, and the coach of his team asked me what I was doing and why I wasn’t playing football and going with them,” Raymond recalled.

“He wanted me to go with them, so he spoke to my dad about it, but my mom was saying, ‘No way, you have to go back to school,” he shared.

In the end, Raymond managed to persuade his parents, and a few days later, he joined the Academy team in Spain for the tournament.

“After that, we went to Portugal, and I ended up with Braga, but then some stuff happened—I got arrested because we’d been away from home for so long, and I ended up staying for four months instead of three. I went back home to get my documents and then back to Portugal for pre-season with Braga, but they didn’t let me in and threw me in jail,” Raymond explained.

“I was in there for two days; it was horrible. I was allowed a 15-minute phone call and locked in a cell. I know it was only two days, but that was enough. It was a new experience, that’s for sure, and I wouldn’t want anyone to go through it,” he added.

The detention not only affected Raymond personally but also jeopardized his professional prospects. The deal with SC Braga fell through as the club, wary of the legal complications, decided not to proceed.

For Raymond, it was a devastating blow, as the young defender was on the brink of a significant career milestone.

“They sent me back to Trinidad, and I had to spend three months out of Europe before I could go back. But, because of the length of time it was, Braga had moved on and signed another left-back, and that left me without a club.

“I felt like giving up football again, to be honest, but I got the chance to sign for Vilar De Perdizes, so I decided to do that. My mom wanted me to go back to school, but my dad said I should push on and keep going,” Raymond revealed.

Through resilience and his father’s unwavering support, the now 23-year-old continued to push and inevitably caught the attention of St Johnstone through a timely referral from his Soca Warriors teammate Dan Phillips.

Now a part of the St Johnstone squad, Raymond is eager to leverage his skills and experiences to help the Perth-based club succeed while continuing to develop as a player.

“I spent the last few months of the season watching the team play, looking at the players, the style of play, and the atmosphere in the stadium. All the time I was speaking to the manager and hoping they would stay in the Premiership, and I was very happy that they did,” Raymond said.

“I wanted Dan to stay, but he has goals and aspirations of his own. We still speak a lot. He told me to come here because it’s a good club and I would fit in here. He said that my style of play would match up with Scottish football, and I’m feeling that too because I like to defend, but I also like to get forward,” he ended.

Hosts West Indies produced a dominant display of bowling to tie their five-match Women’s T20 Series against the USA 1-1 on Monday at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago.

The USA won the opening fixture on Saturday by 37 runs. Batting first, the Americans made 106-8.

Ritu Singh made 29, and captain Anika Kolan 22, but the visitors were helped mightily by their hosts with 25 extras.

Selena Ross took a tidy 3-12 to lead the bowling attack with her left-arm medium pace while right-arm medium pacer Jahzara Claxton took 3-20.

In the West Indian response, only Samara Ramnath (28) and Brianna Harrichan (20) got to double figures, as the home team was held to 69-9.

On Monday, the USA chose to bat first once more. It was a completely different story from the first game as this time they were bundled out for just 65 in 18.1 overs.

Only Kolan (10) and Sasha Vallabhaneni (22) got notable scores.

Ross was back among the wickets, taking 2-8 from her three overs, including a maiden. Kenika Cassar (2-17) and Trisha Hardat (2-18) also bowled well.

West Indies made quick work of their reply, reaching 69-2 in just 13.1 overs.

The Bajan duo of NaiJanni Cumberbatch and Asabi Callender led the charge with 27* and 20, respectively.

The third match of the series is on Wednesday at the same venue.

Dan Ryan has never been shy about his admiration for Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and so it comes as no surprise that the West Coach Fever head coach believes the towering goal shooter is the best to ever grace that position in netball history.

Fowler-Nembhard celebrated her 35th birthday by putting on yet another shooting masterclass in the Fever’s Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League minor semi-final victory over Sunshine Coast Lightning at the RAC Arena in Perth on Sunday.

The five-time league MVP scored 67 goals from 69 attempts—the two missed chances being late Super Shot attempts—as the Fever downed the Sunshine Coast Lightning 72-62 to book a preliminary final date with Melbourne Vixens. 

On the back of that performance, Fowler-Nembhard extended her lead atop the Nissan Net Points (1704.5) standings as well as the goals scored ladder, shooting her 880 goals with 96% accuracy.

For Ryan, the Perth-based franchise could not have asked for a better first-choice goal shooter.

“She’s the greatest goal shooter our game has ever seen,” Ryan declared. 

“Because she has such high standards every single weekend, everyone has such incredibly high standards for her.  We’re so grateful that she’s in our team, and we have a real priority to ensure we get the best out of Jhaniele, with who sits in front of her,” he added.

Beyond her scoring abilities, Ryan also praised Fowler-Nembhard’s leadership skills, which he pointed out often come to the fore when her compatriot and goal attack Shanice Beckford has an off-game. 

“She’s been an incredible leader. The way she’s leading that front line, she’s happy to take a 2v1 if she needs to, and she’s backing in Shanice when she needs to. We’re seeing mum mode from Jhaniele out there, and we absolutely love it,” Ryan noted.

Shanice Beckford

Fowler-Nembhard’s perfect first half performance kept the Fever in touch with the Lightning, 16-18 at the end of the first quarter, before the 2022 champions put the foot down in the second half to keep their premiership hopes alive. 

They outscored the Lightning 36-27 after the main break, had nine gains—eight of which they converted to goals—and five defensive rebounds to put an end to the Lightning’s season.

The performance was much to the delight of Ryan, who believes the manner in which his team upped their tempo in the second half augurs well going into their next encounter.

“We’ve been tracking really nicely over the last month and playing some great netball. We knew we were in a good spot heading into Sunday’s game, and we really wanted to make sure we found an extra gear,” Ryan reasoned.

“The first half was a real grind and a real challenge, and we were certainly under the pump. I am really proud of the girls for the way they stuck at their jobs, and when the moments popped up in that second half, we took them. To win by ten in a do-or-die semi-final is an amazing result.” he shared.

The Fever’s renewed form in winning their last four encounters, comes at the right time, following a mid-season wobble that saw them slip from the top of the standings into third place at the end of regular season play.

Those off colour mid-season games, Ryan said, have served as motivation for his side, which is now aiming to possibly carry their rich vein of form all the way to the grand final against reigning champions Adelaide Thunderbirds.

But first, West Coast Fever will have to get past the Vixens on their return to John Cain Arena this Saturday. 

“Our team has been on a really important journey across the season, and we always connect back to the mid part of the season where we went win-loss-win-loss for a while,” Ryan stated. 

“The learnings we were getting out of those moments were invaluable, and we’ve got great confidence now in these pressure games. We’re really grateful for another opportunity to play netball under finals pressure; we know we’re in great form and we’re going to be really hard to beat at our best,” he ended.

Despite a slightly improved performance, Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz suffered another defeat and is now all but out of contention at the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship, as Costa Rica and United States seem set to secure the top two Group A spots to the quarterfinals in Mexico.

In fact, United States, who registered a 4-0 win over Cuba, are already through to the knockout stages as they lead the group on six points, while Costa Rica’s 3-0 win over Jamaica propelled them into second place on four points. Cuba sits third on a point, while the young Reggae Boyz, are yet to get on the board.

The young Reggae Boyz, looked much better than they did in a 0-9 trouncing to United States, but their misery continued on Monday at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya.

This, as they lost Makai Bond Welch to a straight red card in the 71st minute, while goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who ended the match with five saves, was consistently called upon to keep them in the game.

Grant made consecutive stops in the 19th to deny Esteban Cruz and Jose Pablo Aguero on the rebound. He also came up big to deny Walter Ramirez in the 30th minute and Alberth Barahona in the 45+3.

Jamaica got their efforts from Makai Bond Welch, who was denied by Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Berny Rojas in the 45+5, while captain Adrian Reid Jr’s shot from a distance went just wide as the score remained goalless at the break.

However, Costa Rica eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot as Claudio Montero converted in the 50th.

Andy Rojas doubled Costa Rica’s lead in the 67th with a laser-sharp effort from just outside the 18-yard box, which gave Grant no chance at a save.

After Makai Bond Welch was given marching orders, the Central Americans capitalised on the numerical advantage, as Andy Rojas completed his brace and the victory in the 83rd, when he fired home from Ramirez’s cross.

In the feature contest, Ethan Kohler opened the scoring for United States in the 15^th, before Zavier Gozo added another in the 26th.

Taha Habroune put the three-time champions further ahead in the 58th, with Marcos Zambrano capping the win in the 90+1.

Despite the loss, Cuba still stands a chance of progressing should things play out in their favour in the final fixtures on Thursday.

This, as Jamaica will have to blank the Spanish-speaking Caribbean team by a wide scoreline to stand a slim chance of possibly securing one of the two best third-place spots up for grabs.

Meanwhile, a wide margin of victory for Cuba over their Caribbean neighbours could see them secure one of those two third-place slots or even second position, provided United States hammer Costa Rica in the top-of-the-table clash.

As Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum enters into the second year of its partnership with the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), it launched new-look jerseys at the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Festival.

The patrons of the festival, held at the Catherine’s Hall Sports Complex on July 18, 2023, experienced a fashion show showcasing six of the 14 team’s jerseys.

The fashion show unveiled the new kits for JPL 2024 season winner Cavalier FC, and the runner-up Mount Pleasant Football Academy. Also highlighted were the jerseys for Harbour View FC, Portmore United FC and Arnett Gardens FC and Montego Bay United FC (MBUFC).

On hand to see the show were executives of MBUFC, who lead the only top-tier professional football club from Jamaica’s western region, including Coach Rodolfo Zapata, General Manager Sumil Reid and Director Anthony Cameron.

“These jerseys are another manifestation of the Wray Rum partnership with the JPL, said Kerry-Ann Bryan, brand manager of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum. “Our patrons at the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Festival were the first to see and appreciate this next layer of support.

“Wray & Nephew has been a storied sponsor of football in Jamaica. We offer over $300 million in support across the Jamaica Football Federation national men’s and women’s programmes as well as to the JPL and Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA),” Bryan explained after the jerseys were revealed.

The kits were produced in partnership with Admiral and brandish bold colours, unique patterns, and details that represent each club, its surrounding community and showcases each Football Club’s history. The 14 JPL teams will utilise the home and away vibrant kit designs for 2024/25 season.

Having launched the kits, Rum Fest eventgoers had the opportunity to get first dibs on their jersey pick from the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum football-themed festival booth.

The JPL and Admiral collection can also be purchased online via the Admiral website, or at the Locker Room Sports location in Kingston.

Barbados have been crowned champions of the 2024 CWI Rising Stars Men’s 2-Day Championship after a draw with defending champions Jamaica in the final at Arnos Vale Playing Field from Saturday-Sunday.

Barbados batted first on Saturday after being put in by the Jamaicans and made 200-9 declared off 62.4 overs in their first innings.

Raneico Smith led the way with 50 off 57 balls including seven fours and a six batting at number nine after the Jamaicans had Barbados reeling at 79-5 in the 26^th over at one point.

Captain Nathan Sealy also provided some important runs with 29 against 3-61 off 19 overs from Tamarie Redwood and identical figures of 2-39 off 10 overs, each, from Jevone Wynter and Michael Clarke.

Jamaica, in their reply, reached 72-2 off 24 overs at stumps on day one, trailing by 128 runs with Steven Wedderburn and Matthew Morgan at the crease on 39* and 28*, respectively.

The first over of day two saw Wedderburn fall without adding to his overnight score and that signaled the beginning of the end for the Jamaicans.

The wickets of Morgan (33), Trevaun Williams (2) and captain Brian Barnes (16) followed soon after as they eventually reached 127-8 off 43 overs before declaring to try and force a result out of the game.

Off-spinner Saurav Worrell was the pick of the Barbadian bowlers with 3-24 from his 10 overs while Jatario Prescod also took three wickets.

Barbados then batted smartly in their second innings, eventually reaching 172-2 in 57 overs before proceedings drew to a close with them as champions.

Openers Kyle Jordan and Joshua Morris made 62 and 52, respectively.

Full Scores:

Barbados U-19s 200-9 declared off 62.4 overs (Raneico Smith 50, Nathan Sealy 29, Tamarie Redwood 3-61, Michael Clarke 2-39, Jevone Wynter 2-39) & 172-2 off 57 overs (Kyle Jordan 62, Joshua Morris 52, Joshua Dorne 29*, Zion Brathwaite 22*)

Jamaica U-19s 128-8 declared off 43 overs (Steven Wedderburn 39, Matthew Morgan 33, Saurav Worrell 3-24, Jatario Prescod 3-51, Raneico Smith 2-16)

Teams will now turn their attention to the CWI Rising Stars Men's 50-Over Championships starting on Tuesday.

Defending champions Jamaica will face Guyana at Arnos Vale. The Leeward Islands will face Trinidad & Tobago at Sion Hill while Barbados takes on the Windward Islands at Park Hill.

Jamaica Under-20 Reggae Boyz captain Adrian Reid Jr says the team will have to quickly learn from their mistakes ahead of their second game in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship against Costa Rica on Monday.

The young Jamaicans opened up their campaign with a disappointing 0-9 loss to the USA at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya, Mexico on Friday.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted, obviously. It was a disappointing result. We didn’t show our quality or enough character,” Reid said in an interview with JFF Live on Sunday.

The Cavalier SC defender, who recently got called up to the Senior Reggae Boyz squad for the first time for a World Cup Qualifying fixture against the Dominican Republic last month, says hos team will have to put Friday’s performance behind them ahead of Monday’s game.

“We just have to put that game behind us and learn from our mistakes. We go back to the drawing board and go back to training, see where we went wrong and try to fix our mistakes,” he said.

Despite the heavy loss, Reid Jr seemed encouraged by the mood in the camp, noting how everyone was taking responsibility.

“After the game, you could see everyone taking responsibility, owning up to everything that was done. Everyone was coming together to try to find solutions so it’s been a good mood in the camp,” he said.

Jamaica are competing alongside the USA, Cuba and Costa Rica in Group A of the 12-team tournament.

Cuba and Costa Rica played out a 1-1 draw at the same venue on Friday to sit second and third in the group.

The top two teams from all three groups will advance to quarterfinals alongside the two best third-place teams.

The winners of those quarterfinals will all qualify for the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

Jamaican netball star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard showcased her immense talent and composure, scoring an astonishing 67 goals in the Suncorp Super Netball preliminary final on Sunday. Fowler-Nembhard's brilliance guided the Fever to a hard-fought 72-62 victory over the Sunshine Coast Lightning. They will now face off against the Melbourne Vixens for a chance to face defending champion Adelaide Thunderbirds in the grand final.

In a match marked by dramatic momentum shifts, the Fever had to dig deep to withstand the Lightning's persistent challenges. It wasn't until late in the third quarter that the Fever managed to establish a decisive lead, ultimately securing their place in the next round.

The game began with the Lightning in control, as the connections between Steph Fretwell, Liz Watson, and Leesa Mi Mi effortlessly cut through the Fever’s defense. In response, the Fever introduced the speed of Kelsey Browne to their midcourt, but the Lightning's fluid play maintained a three-point advantage until a crucial super shot from Shanice Beckford leveled the score and electrified the crowd.

Fever shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard then took center stage, dominating her matchup against Courtney Bruce and forcing Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds to make tactical adjustments. Despite these changes, Fowler-Nembhard remained unstoppable, finishing with an incredible 67 goals from 69 attempts and earning MVP honors for her performance.

The match's intensity took its toll on the Lightning, who had been regarded as pre-season premiership favorites due to their impressive recruiting. Although Watson led all players with 58 feeds, Fretwell struggled with accuracy, which dropped to just 61 percent. The Fever capitalized on this, converting 81 percent of their center passes and 40 percent of their missed goals, compared to the Lightning's dismal nine percent conversion rate.

Despite the defeat, the Lightning's four young rookies gained valuable experience and are expected to be formidable competitors next season. The Fever, meanwhile, will head east for next weekend’s preliminary final against the wounded Vixens, who suffered a stunning 25-point defeat to the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Saturday.

The Fever's consistency in Super Netball has seen them reach the finals in six of the last seven years, but they have struggled to convert these opportunities into championships, having won the premiership only once in 2022. However, with three wins in their last four matches and the Vixens losing three in the same period, the Fever will approach the preliminary final with confidence.

If they can secure a victory against the Vixens, the Fever will face off in the grand final against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who handed them a comprehensive 18-point defeat the last time they met. With Fowler-Nembhard in top form, the Fever are poised to make a serious bid for the championship.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) Ad hoc panel has extended the deadline to Monday, July 22, 2024, to deliver a decision on the dispute between Jamaica's hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA). The decision follows a hearing held on Saturday, where key legal representatives presented their arguments.

Dr. Emir Crowne and Sayeed Bernard represented Clunis, while Ben Cisneros appeared for the JAAA, Ian Wilkinson (KC) for the Jamaica Olympic Association, Catherine Pitre for World Athletics, and Antonio Rigozzi for the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Clunis, who secured her spot for the Paris Olympics with a national record throw of 71.93m in May, was initially selected by the JAAA to represent Jamaica in the hammer throw. However, an administrative oversight led to her name not being submitted to World Athletics, jeopardizing her Olympic participation. In response, Clunis sought a ruling from the CAS Ad hoc Division to ensure her inclusion in the hammer throw competition.

The panel of arbitrators, led by Honourable Annabelle Bennett QC, SC of Australia as President, along with Ms. Carline Dupeyron of France and Ms. Kristen Thorness Oly of the USA, initially aimed to announce their decision on Sunday, July 21. However, the complexity of the case necessitated an extension to Monday.

Clunis' appeal highlights the urgency of the situation, particularly given the lack of timely communication from the JAAA. After receiving no response from the JAAA by a specified deadline, Clunis instructed her legal team to escalate the matter to CAS. The JAAA was subsequently given until 11 a.m. on Friday, July 19, to file materials, a deadline they reportedly did not meet.