Bermuda Football Association’s (BFA) director of player development Devarr Boyle admits the National Academy players are “starving for games” ahead of this week’s Clyde Best Invitational Festival.Returning after a two-year hiatus, the Festival includes three National Academy teams the 1996s, 1998s and the Under-17 Girls six domestic sides and two from overseas: Virginia FC women and Princeton SC, from New Jersey.Virginia FC women’s side play in the Elite Clubs National League, while Princeton SC Under-15s won last season’s United Soccer Leagues Super Y-League.Boyles said the BFA would be fielding the strongest possible Academy teams with around eight overseas-based players returning home for the annual Festival.“We’ve been starving for games and any time we get an opportunity to play we’re really excited,” he said.“The games have forced us to train more intensely than we do normally because there’s an expectation ahead of the matches.“The players have been slowly raising their levels and we’re hoping to play better than we did (in the previous Festival).“I’ve been pleasantly surprised about the level of enthusiasm and I think even the coaches are getting excited about the upcoming matches.”Taking charge of the National Academy 1996s is Maurice Lowe, the 1998s will be led by Scott Morton, while Aaron Denkins will coach the Under-17 girls. Assisting them will be veteran coach Gary Darrell and National Academy newcomers, Maceo Dill and Larry Smith.Boyles said the matches would be particularly important for the 1996 team who will compete in Caribbean Football Union pre-World Cup Under-17 qualifiers in Jamaica this summer.“(The Festival) gives our new coaches a chance to learn the inner mechanisms of what we do in preparation for matches,” Boyle said. “We can learn on Island so when we do travel with the Under-17s and Under-20s, it gives both our coaches and players some mileage.“Scott’s 1996 team will be competing in Jamaica in the CFUs so these games will give them some important preparation. We know we have a good pitch to play on at the North Field; it’s a treat when you can play on grass these days. We’re really excited to see how our Academy teams do.”The local sides competing in the Festival are PHC Zebras Under-14s and Under-16s, North Village Under-16s, Richmond Harriers Under-14s, Dandy Town Under-14s, a Bermuda select women’s team and the senior women’s national side. It will be the first time the Festival has included female teams.Last year’s Clyde Best Invitational Festival was cancelled due to financial and organisational problems. The previous year’s Festival saw two National Academy teams take on youth sides from West Ham United and France’s Saint-Etienne, who were crowned champions.Festival scheduleFriday: National Academy 1998 v Richmond Harriers Under-14, North Field at 12pmPHC Under-14s v Dandy Town Under-14s, North Field at 12pmNational Academy Under-17 Girls v Bermuda Select Women, North Field at 2pmVirginia FC v Bermuda women’s senior national team, North Field at 2pmNational Academy 1996 v PHC Under-16s, North Field at 4pmNorth Village Under-16s v Princeton SC, North Field at 4pmSaturday: National Academy 1998 v Dandy Town Under-14s, North Field at 12pmRichmond Harriers Under-14s v PHC Under-14s, North Field at 12pmNational Academy Under-17 Girls v Bermuda select women, North Field at 2pmVirginia FC v Bermuda’s senior women’s national team, North Field at 2pmNational Academy 1996 v North Village Under-16, North Field at 4pmPHC Under-16 v Princeton SC, North Field at 4pmSunday: National Academy 1998 v PHC Under-14, National Sports Centre at 10amNational Academy Under-17 Girls v Virginia FC, National Sports Centre at 12pmNational Academy 1996 v Princeton FC, National Sports Centre at 2pm