(Castries, Saint Lucia– June 17, 2025) When the Semi Pro Football League kicks of its second season on Sunday June 22, 2025, the Gros Islet Football League Team will be missing a key player…….Baggio Edward. The Babonneau native who plays as a wide forward with New Generation and finished the season for Gros Islet in the Semi Pro Team of the Season for Tier 1 with 6 goals, will be watching on via live stream from England.
After going on a brief trial in England with EFL League Two Fleetwood Town Football Club, the 19 year old who has one senior cap for Saint Lucia, which came in a World Cup Qualifier against Aruba in 2024, impressed sufficiently to receive an offer many Saint Lucian Footballers would relish.
On April 22, 2025, Edward received an email that may just change his life. It read, “CONGRATULATIONS! We would like to welcome Baggio to the Fleetwood Family. It’s with delight that we offer you a place on the FTIFA Pro Football pathway journey. With hard work, together we can achieve your dream. We would like to offer you our Pro experience pathway for 4 weeks.”
The program which covers meals, transportation to and from training and games, training kit, video analysis, gym program, training and access to facility, player performance technology and a 4 week review is geared towards allowing the club to “see if he is at the level to move into our progressional squad.”. The email continued, “It’s an exciting opportunity which can give him clarity on his potential next steps in the game in the UK.”
Edward had originally opened a GoFundMe account in an attempt to finance his venture, but when that story broke via Vybe Radio’s popular morning Sports Program “The Banter”, National Lotteries Authority and President of the Senate Alvina Reynolds quickly sprung into action with full endorsement from the Saint Lucia Football Association Inc. (SLFA).
The talented wide forward player who is renowned for his cracking strikes, such as last season’s Tier 1 opening match rocket that downed eventual champions La Clery 1-0 at the Mindoo Philip Park, will surely be looking to grab this opportunity with both hands, or feet as the case may be. One thing is for certain, the Semi Pro Football League is definitely “leveraging football to transform lives.”
