13 Mar 2025 Girls High School Football preseason tourney to feature 12 teams
[March 12, 2025 – Harmon, Guam] All 11 of the participating schools in the upcoming Interscholastic Girls High School Football League will take part in Sunday’s 11th Annual Challenge Cup Girls High School Preseason Tournament at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.
In addition to the 11 school teams, the GFA U14 Girls National Academy team will round out the field of 12, split into four groups of three, in the tournament supported by Japan Football Association.
“The main objective of having the GFA U14 Girls National Academy team is to identify talent and expose the players to higher level competition as early as possible,” said Head Coach Jude Bischoff. “The National Academy, for one, is to prepare the team for international competition and the Challenge Cup is a great opportunity to help the National Academy achieve that vision. Once the players recognize the efforts of their teammates, the team will begin to improve. Only team improvement can lead to international success – one or two exceptional players will never be enough to win an international match.
Guam Football Association National Academy U14 Girls Division Head Coach Jude Bischoff explains an activity during a recent Guam Football Association National Academy open training session at the Guam Football Association National Training Center in this file photo. The GFA U14 Girls National Academy team will compete in the upcoming 11th Annual Challenge Cup Girls High School Preseason Tournament, supported by Japan Football Association set for Mar. 16.
“The Challenge Cup is also a great opportunity for the players as individuals to show their commitment and honest effort to their teammates,” Bischoff added.
The U14 Girls National Academy will experience a high level of competition after placement in the Haya Group alongside last year’s tournament and league champions John F. Kennedy High School Islanders, and Tiyan High School.
The Lagu Group features Southern High School, Notre Dame High School, and St. Paul Christian School.
The Luchan Group features Academy of Our Lady of Guam, Guam High School, and George Washington High School.
The Kattan Group features St. John’s School, Okkodo High School, and Simon Sanchez High School.
The winners from each group will move on to the tournament’s semifinals. The semifinal winners will move on to the tournament’s championship match, set to kick off at 2 p.m. Sunday.
The Challenge Cup is one of four major events in the month of March held in celebration of AFC Women’s Football Day. The first, the 16th Annual Sugar and Spice Girls Middle School Festival, was held Mar. 9, with St. John’s School emerging as three-time champions of the festival.
After the Challenge Cup, the Bank of Guam Strykers FC will take on Guam Shipyard in the championship match of the Bud Light G League Women, set for 3:30 p.m. Mar. 23.
The fourth and final celebratory event this month will be the 2nd Annual Tokyo Friendlies on Mar. 29, which will feature a visiting U16 Girls team from Tokyo Football Association in a tournament against the seven teams in the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth League U17 Girls Division: ASC Trust Islanders FC, Bank of Guam Strykers FC, Dededo SC, Guam Shipyard Wolverines, NAPA Rovers FC, Southern Cobras SC, and Tumon Typhoons FC.
“A decade has passed since we first celebrated AFC Women’s Football Day, and our commitment to advancing the women’s game in Asia has only grown stronger,” said Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation. “In the last year, we have witnessed several historic moments and reached significant milestones that have only gone on to strengthen the faith I have in the immense potential of women’s football across the continent. With so much achieved and while striving for more, I hope we can take a moment to recognize and honor the incredible journey that the women’s game has had in just a few years – none of which would have been possible without the resolve and dedication of our Member Associations and Regional Associations and sacrifice of countless individuals. Let us continue to break the barriers for our future generations to be a part of the beautiful game in whatever capacity that attracts them – be it a player, coach, referee, or administrator, and I assure you that the AFC will always be there to lend a hand in all your endeavors.
“On behalf of the entire AFC family, I wish all women in our MAs and Ras, a very happy International Women’s Day and a memorable AFC Women’s Football Day 2025,” the AFC President added.
The Sugar and Spice festival featured over 450 players on 16 team rosters, while close to 300 are expected on team rosters for the upcoming Challenge Cup. Challenge Cup matches will commence at 8 a.m. There is no entrance fee to watch the matches.
For more information about the month’s events, send an E-mail to [email protected]