USVI Soccer Association (USVISA) Senior Men National team player Raejae Joseph has received a coveted invitation to the upcoming 2018 Major League Soccer (MLS) Caribbean Combine. This year’s event will be held from Oct. 15-18 at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston, Jamaica.
The MLS Caribbean Combine is an annual showcase of Caribbean soccer talent between the ages of 18-21, which was organized jointly by MLS and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) in 2013. All 31-member associations are encouraged to send representatives that fit the criteria. The combine provides opportunities for Caribbean players to be observed by MLS scouts with the hopes of being invited to the Combine, an invite-only showcase event, held prior to the annual MLS Super Draft.
This event will help recognize the next generation of MLS stars as the Caribbean Football Union seeks to achieve their goal of being among the best leagues in the world by 2022. As CFU member associations turn their attention to the CONCACAF Nations League Tournament, this is an exciting developmental opportunity for the opulent young talent in the Caribbean to assess their developmental level and the growth required to play at the highest level.
This partnership with MLS is another way in which the CFU is planning to bridge the gap that exists between talent availability and scouting opportunities that the Caribbean region has received from professional leagues.
Joseph is currently studying and playing soccer at Rider University, which is an NCAA Division 1 school that participates in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. His home team is the Helenites Football Club, which participates in the St. Croix region of the USVISA Men League.
Before heading off to Jamaica, Joseph will be in Bradenton, Fla., as he gets his third cap representing U.S.V.I. when they take on the Curacao Men National team in their second game of the CONCACAF Nations League Tournament on Oct. 12.
