Biffin Cousins Shine on World Stage

What if you had the chance to play a sport you love - at the international level? 

What if you had the chance to play the sport you love, at the international level, with a best friend who is also your cousin?  

This is the situation for the Biffin cousin’s, Ellie and Lily, who had the chance to play soccer on the international stage at the U15 CONCACAF Girls Soccer Tournament representing Team Guyana over the summer. 

The cousins, who have been playing soccer for most of their lives, started playing competitively at the age of eight. 

 “I was playing for Pickering FC (Football Club) and said to Lily, why don’t you come on the team, because you’re really good at soccer and it would be such a good experience if you came,” says Ellie Biffin, who attends Pine Ridge Secondary School in Grade 9. 

Lily Biffin, who now attends Anderson CVI and is also in Grade 9, had been playing house league soccer and was happy to hear the offer coming from her close cousin. “I was sure about the opportunity and jumped at the chance to play,” says Lily. 

This past summer, their years of their hard work, sweat, commitment, and skill development paid off as the cousins were invited to try out for Team Guyana. 

“The summer started out by trying out for the Guyanese national team,” says Lily. “I was so excited!”  

Two weeks later they found out they had both made the team.  

The pair travelled to Guyana in August to meet other members of the national team, attended practices, and then flew to Aruba to participate in matches against Anguilla, Guadeloupe, and Aruba national teams. 

“The experience felt like being in college because of how professional and competitive the atmosphere was,” says Lily.  

“It was an amazing experience,” says Ellie, who hopes these opportunities will land her and her cousin on the radar for the U17 Guyanese national team in November. 

“I am so thankful my cousin and family brought me into the soccer world,” says Lily. “Ellie has always been playing soccer and she brought me in. I am a better player because of her.” 

“I am looking to play Division 1 soccer at an American college, and then professionally, and possibly for the Canadian national team,” says Ellie. “In the future, I hope to become a surgeon.” 

“It was an incredible honour to represent the Guyana Football Federation at the highest level and play for the U15 National Team,” says Ellie. “I appreciate all the support from my teacher coaches, coaches from Pickering Football Club and private trainers. I could not have done any of this without their guidance.” 

Lily says what she learned from this experience is “If you want to go somewhere, you have to work really hard for it. This opportunity only comes around because of hard work and commitment.” 

Congratulations to both Ellie and Lily on their accomplishments, and best of luck on their future journey on the soccer pitch!