National football player, Shamoy Thompson (right), will be attending the third consecutive Major League Soccer sponsored Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Combine, which is scheduled for St Kitts from December 13-16, 2015. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Shamoy Thompson, a former student of the Elmore Stoutt High School, is an attacking midfielder for local club Ballstarz FC. Photo: VINO/File

This time around the Combine is being held across three countries instead of one central venue as in previous years, with the other venues being Curacao (December 17-20), and Martinique (January 1-4).

Twenty-four players have been invited to each venue, representing a marked increase in the number of elite players from the Caribbean who will vie to be among those selected to attend the MLS Combine from January 8-13, 2016 in South Florida.

St Kitts will host players from Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, [British] Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, and USVI.

In an invited comment, the BVI Football Association (BVIFA) said: “Shamoy stood out among his local peers with his skill, determination and ability to work in a team environment. We are pleased that he will represent the territory at this event and have no doubt he will perform and make us all proud of his efforts.”

Thompson, a former student of the Elmore Stoutt High School, is an attacking midfielder for local club Ballstarz FC.

Players from Aruba, Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago will be hosted by Curacao, while Martinique will host Barbados, Dominica, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, St Maarten, St Martin, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and St Lucia.

Caribbean Football Union President, Gordon Derrick said the main reason for decentralising the initiative is to increase participation and opportunity. “We are grateful to our partners at the MLS who were receptive to our proposal to hold the Combine in more than one venue. This will allow a greater number of Caribbean players to attend and to have the chance to gain selection to the South Florida Combine where they will be seen by pro scouts,” Derrick said.