Cayman Islands Rookie ofthe Year for UK Professional Try-Out
Midfielder LeonWhittaker and mother, Angela
George Town Sports Club's football leftmidfielder, Leon Whittaker, has left Cayman for the U.K. to tryout for a place in the English Second Division professional club,Reading.
This opportunity for the 16-year-old toturn professional was announced just days after he copped Rookieof the Year for the 2000 to 2001 football season at the CaymanIslands Football Association's (CIFA) awards presentation on 14July.
Also heading for Europe are Whittaker'steammate, Carson Fagan, who will try out with Cercle Brugge andTuda Murphy, who will also be at Reading.
Nineteen-year-old Murphy is goalkeeper forthe national team and Naya Sporting.
Whitaker's trial lasts one month and his mother, Mrs Angela Whittaker,will spend the first week with him to ensure that he is settledin.
"It's a dream come true," a shy,but obviously happy Whittaker said. "I'm looking forwardto meeting the team and playing with them," he added, whilespeaking of his ultimate goal to play with a professional teamand to make his mark as a pro footballer.
The opportunity for Whittaker has resultedfrom the CIFA Youth Football Week, 27 May to 4 June, when scoutsand freelance scouts for FIFA Agents visited to assess the standardof play locally and to see if there were young players with thepotential for a spot on the European football circuit.
Among the scouts were Paul Martin, FIFAAgent with SFX - one of the world's largest promoters and representativeof leading sports stars - along with coach of Belgium's CercleBrugge KSV, Dennis van Wijk and Christopher Feltham of CercleBrugge .
Whittaker's try-out is the result of PaulMartin's effort.
Mrs Whittaker, with natural parental concernfor her son, worries about his new venture, and whether thereis an academic program that will allow him to continue his education.But she said, "If this is his dream, I will support him 100percent. He has always wanted to play and he is very conscious."
It's not the first time that Mrs Whittaker,the mother of four, has seen one of her children thrust into thespotlight of sports.
She's been there before with her daughter,track and field athlete, Cydonie Mothersill, who is the reigningUS Indoor Collegiate 200m champion. But, she says, it was differentwith her daughter who had already graduated from high school.
Leon's brother Justin plays on the Under 17 national team.
Whittaker, who says he has never thoughtabout another career but football, has been playing since age6. He also played for Naya Sporting's Under 17, until he switchedclubs last year.
"This is a big opportunity and as thefirst one to go, Leon will have to be a true ambassador for hiscountry," Mrs Whittaker said. "I hope he'll achievewhat he wants."
National Coach, Marcio Maximo, praised Leon'stalent and his discipline, noting that he is part of a youth programthat will give many more youngsters the opportunity he now has."Leon has a big advantage in that he is very young and ismature for his age," Coach Maximo said. "I am very satisfiedwith this result."
CIFA President Jeffrey Webb was equallyelated and optimistic about the selection of the three playersfor try-outs. "The Football Association is more than pleasedthat these players, at their young age have this opportunity totake their game to a higher level, and I wish them all the bestas they go."
He added that with the association's increasedfocus on youth football, in time more talent will be discoveredand others given the opportunity to play overseas.