The U.S. Virgin Islands made a strong impression at the 2025 Target USA CUP, where youth teams from St. Thomas and St. Croix stepped onto one of the biggest stages in youth soccer. With over 1,200 teams in attendance from across the globe, the USVI squads proved they were there to compete.
The standout performance came from the U17 boys team, fielded by Helenites SC and supported by Massey Soccer Academy. The roster featured players from both clubs, many of whom were playing together for the first time. Despite the challenge of building chemistry quickly, the team reached the semifinals of their bracket.
“I’m incredibly proud of how our players performed considering the challenges they were dealt,” said Massey Head Coach Dale Richards. “They’ve been exposed to a very high level of competition from across the globe. Their ability to compete as well as they did proves what we have here.”
One of the biggest hurdles for the U14 and U17 players was adapting to full-field 11v11 play. Many of the players had only competed in smaller-sided games – typically 9v9 – on condensed fields. Competing in an 11v11 format on a full-size pitch demanded quick adaptation both physically and mentally.
The U14 team, representing Massey Soccer Academy, and the U12 team, representing Helenites SC, both advanced to the quarterfinals, where they gained invaluable experience against top-tier opponents.
Massey General Manager Marcella Jennings reflected on the boys’ performance with pride, “They maintained discipline and tenacity and shook off an immense amount of nervousness. You would figure the shocking nature of this huge tournament would be overwhelming. Nope!”
When asked if the clubs planned to return, she beamed, “We’re going back! In my view, we got some goals to kick in Minnesota!”
“They earned the other teams’ respect,” Richards added. “We owe it to the youth to keep developing them so they can become even more competitive.”
Continued partnership between clubs like Massey and Helenites and the growing visibility of USVI talent on the global stage suggest the Target USA Cup was just the beginning for these promising young athletes.
