May 13, 2008

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M men's and women's soccer coach Butch Lauffer will lend his coaching talent to Trinidad and Tobago as he has been named as an assistant coach for the country's Under-17 Women's National Team.

Lauffer is joining the coaching staff of Randy Waldrum, of Notre Dame, as Trinidad and Tobago prepares to host the 2008 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship. CONCACAF stands for the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.

Action for the tournament begins July 17 and runs through July 26, and games will be played at Bacolet's Dwight Yorke Stadium and Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya. The field of competitors includes Canada, Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

This is the first year of the CONCACAF U-17 Women's tournament, with the winner along with two other teams advancing to the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, which takes place October 30-November 16 in New Zealand.

Lauffer and WT have a connection to Trinidad and Tobago in recent years as two players on the Lady Buffs' roster hail from the island nation, both of whom play for the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Team. Forwards Janelle Nedd, a sophomore, and Nadia James, a freshman, have played key roles for the Lady Buffs and will look to do the same for Trinidad and Tobago's national team in New Zealand if they advance.