Football in Saba

Association football is a popular sport on the Caribbean island of Saba.[1]

Saba United Sports Federation

Sports on the island are controlled by the Saba United Sports Federation and the Commission of Social Affairs, Culture and Sports.[2][3][4][5][6]

Facilities

The Cruyff Court Saba in The Bottom is the only football facility on the island. The artificial turf stadium was opened in April 2011.[7]

Youth football

In 1999 local resident Lynne Johnson began organising football lessons for young boys at the Man-O-War Ground (now the Cruyff Court Saba).[8] There are youth football activities for males and females on the island.[9] In May 2019 new Sports Facilitator of Saba Joelyn Robinson stated a desire to revive youth sports, including soccer.[3]

School teams

The Saba University School of Medicine has student-run intramural football activities.[10] The Saba Comprehensive School has also been instrumental in organising notable football programs,[11] including an international tournament hosted by Saba in May to June 2019.[2]

League

Unlike the other islands of the Dutch Caribbean, no organised senior football league has ever been played on Saba.[12] An inter-island competition was staged between Saba and Sint Eustatius from 2004 to 2006, but was then dissolved.[13] In July 2021 Saba signed a memorandum of understanding with Sint Eustatius to, "undertake joint initiatives such as enhancing the sports structure and related activities, organizing regional sporting tournaments and competitions...". However, football was not specifically mentioned.[14]

National team

Formerly Saba was represented in international football by the Netherlands Antilles national football team until the country was dissolved on 10 October 2010 and Saba became a separate Special Municipality.[15] Since that time there has been limited activity by a distinct Saba national football team,[16][17] other than a series of matches against the Sint Eustatius national football team which were played until at least 2011.[18] The national football team of Bonaire, another island that holds the status of special municipality within the Netherlands proper, has been a member of the CFU and CONCACAF since 2013 through the support of the Dutch KNVB, leaving open the possibility for Saba membership in the governing bodies.[19][20] Those associated with football in Saba have been working with the KNVB since at least 2019 when the association provided equipment to the island.[21] In August 2021 the KNVB, joined by Bert Zuurman and former Aruba national team coach Elvis Albertus, organised a football course and coaching clinic on the island.[22][23]

The girls' team of the Saba Comprehensive School competed against an Anguilla selection in a tournament at home in summer 2019.[2] The Saba team also defeated a Sint Maarten selection to win the championship. The top male scorer in the tournament was Khalid Tavernier[24] who is a Sint Maarten youth international.[25]

List of men's international matches
As of 6 May 2011.[18]
Date Home Away Score
2004 Sint Eustatius Saba
3–1
15 July 2006 Saba Sint Eustatius
3–5
16 July 2006 Saba Sint Eustatius
5–5
20 June 2009 Sint Eustatius Saba
Unknown
21 June 2009 Sint Eustatius Saba
Unknown
27 March 2010 Saba Sint Eustatius
2–1
28 March 2010 Saba Sint Eustatius
1–2
28 March 2010 Saba Sint Eustatius
2–2
6 May 2011 Sint Eustatius U23 Saba
2–1

References
  1. "Sports Policy Saba presented to State Secretary Van Ooijen". The BES Reporter. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  2. "Saba Set to Host Sports Competition". saba-news.com. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  3. "New Sports Facilitator Robinson aims to revive sports". saba-news.com. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  4. "Lauren Risley presented the Saba Sports Policy 2022-2025". saba-news.com.
  5. "Sports Policy presented to State Secretary Van Ooijen". saba-news.com.
  6. "Saba United Sports Federation Underway". pearlfmradio.sx.
  7. "The Bottom". Beautiful Saba. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  8. "Two Saba Sports Fields Upgraded". saba-news.com. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  9. "Child Focus concludes summer camp in Saba". The Daily Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  10. "Saba University School of Medicine 2020-2022 Catalog" (PDF). Saba University School of Medicine. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  11. "Saba offers its children lots of activities after school". saba-news.com. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  12. Schöggl, Hans; Stokkermans, Karel; Veroeveren, Piet. "Dutch Antilles - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  13. Menary, Steve (18 June 2020). "The History of Football in the Dutch Caribbean: The Modern Era". Outside Write. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  14. "Saba and Statia join hands in strengthening sports". saba-news.com. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  15. "Antillen opgeheven op 10-10-2010" (in Dutch). NOS. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  16. "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  17. "THE RISE OF FOOTBALL IN CURAÇAO AND THE INFLUENCE OF PATRICK KLUIVERT". These Football Times. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  18. Schöggl, Hans. "Inter Island Matches Saba/Sint Eustatius". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  19. "Bonaire takes FIFA to court to join world soccer". Loop News. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  20. "FIFA EN KNVB IN ACTIE VOOR VOETBALONTWIKKELING BONAIRE EN SINT-MAARTEN" (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  21. "Dutch Football Association , KNVB, donates shirts and materials to Saba's community". saba-news.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  22. "KNVB organizes football courses on Saba". saba-news.com. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  23. "Saba Youth Train With Professional Choaches". BES Reporter. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  24. "OVER 100 STUDENTS PARTCIPATED [sic] IN THE INTER-ISLAND-SPORTS COMPETITION 2019". saba-news.com. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  25. "U 15 soccer tourney kicks off Saturday". The Daily Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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