Jinelle James jotted down notes and took pictures of each presentation, even though she knew she would later receive it by e-mail. Such is the methodical approach of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's director of women's football, who made full use of the Women's Football Regional Workshop organised by FIFA for the Member Associations of Concacaf in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“This forum provides an opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to share, network and, naturally, learn about what is going on in the rest of the region. However, it also offers an insight into what FIFA can do for associations like ours so we can be on the world stage,” said a smiling James to Inside FIFA.

Concacaf’s 41 member national associations attended the workshop, which was held 1-3 November in the Dominican capital alongside the culmination of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2024™.

“This idea of having this space around a Women's World Cup builds a greater connection, and makes it more real in terms of what is happening and what can happen to an association if it works towards it, through the processes that can be put in place. It adds another layer of reality to what we do,” James added.

This was FIFA's third Women's Football Regional Workshop in 2024, after the AFC hosted one in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the CONMEBOL equivalent took place in Bogotá, Colombia. Sarai Bareman, FIFA's Chief Women's Football Officer, set out the forum's objectives in her opening remarks.

“This room contains Concacaf's most influential people in women's football. The work you have all done for the sport is incredible,” she declared. “I want to thank you for your passion, your tireless efforts, and for working hard every day for women's football. These three days are about celebrating your successes and working together to overcome our challenges.

“We hope this meeting will equip you, motivate you, fire you up, and give you some tools to return to your associations with even greater drive as you move towards promoting women's football in your country,” she added.

Sonia Fulford, FIFA Executive Council member and President of the Turks and Caicos Football Association, was one of the first speakers. “There have been many years, many tears and many happy moments in this region, yet we have come a long way. This workshop is much more than just a meeting,” she said.

“Here, our mission is to empower and inspire those who lead women's football in their respective countries. This space provides a space where a shared vision can drive a real and lasting impact. Today's discussion is part of an ongoing journey that connects each of our member associations, Concacaf and FIFA,” she concluded.

Trinidad and Tobago ranks high among the associations benefiting most from FIFA's Women's Football Development Programmes. At present, it is running a campaign to promote women's football; two league development projects (youth and senior); a club licensing system; training for managers and administrators; and a scholarship programme for women coaches.

As a result, James sat on one of the workshop panels, which gave other associations the opportunity to learn first-hand about the tools FIFA uses to assist in developing the initiative.

“The best explanation for our example being used today is that, although we fall short competitively, we are trying to put in place the necessary procedures and processes with the support of FIFA to be one of the strongest member associations in women's football in the region. However, the goal is not just to reach the top, but to stay there,” said James.

“We realised that there is a huge gap between the senior women's game and the youth game in Trinidad and Tobago, and that opportunities for young women are limited. This is why we recognise that we have to sow the seeds, namely for girls between the ages of 12 and 14. This age group may not get as much attention, but long-term thinking has to start at the grassroots level,” she explained.

James demonstrated that the knock-on effect lies there. “The more girls playing football, the more tournaments are needed for them to compete in. As part of our Girls Play Programme, we created the G League, and we have already seen positive results by qualifying two U-15 teams to Concacaf tournaments.”

More competitions also imply the need for more female coaches. “The U-12 and U-14 G League teams must be coached by a woman. We would like them to be trained, but also to have their own experiences and make mistakes every so often. FIFA has also played an instrumental role in this.”

What is next for women's football development in Trinidad and Tobago? “The focus now is on fine-tuning our existing systems, encouraging more teams to join to increase widespread participation, and getting female coaches involved,” replied James.

“Then we can select the best women's coaches and focus more on the elite level. However, for the time being, development, encouragement and support must be sustained. It cannot be a one-off thing... We are grateful to FIFA for the programmes it has set up and will continue running to help associations like ours to pursue best practices.”