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Real Madrid academy still on track – Lawrence
2008-05-03 Written by: André Lowe 
Former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper and current member of the technical team Aaron Lawrence (right), with Marc Rollins.
Plans appear to be on track for the setting up of a Real Madrid football academy in Jamaica with first batch of trainees expected to be conducting their first drills as early as January 2009. This, according to former national goalkeeper and academy director Aaron Lawrence, during an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald on Friday.
Lawrence was designated to guide the establishment of the academy, which will be built on lands donated by the John Rollins Foundation in Rose Hall, St James through a collaborative effort from the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation and the popular Spanish club.
The academy, which will welcome 50 youngsters between the ages of 7 and twelve in its first intake, is being modeled of the successful Real Madrid Foundation’s School of Social Integration.
Its core aim will be to use football training to increase educational levels and improve social values for the Jamaican children who will participate in the programme. The local training school will help Jamaican children who come from deprived backgrounds.
There were fears that the programme, which was expected to be ready by now after a declaration of intent was signed by all the parties in June 2007, was in jeopardy of being scrapped. However, Lawrence who is also a part of the national technical set-up, sought to alleviate these concerns and gave an update on the progress of the project.
“The academy is definitely on stream. We went to Spain for a week and a half recently to look at their facilities and talk to the directors and we also took the opportunity to look at similar academies in Madrid,” he assured.
He advised that the meeting was extremely productive and that work on the US$3.5 million project will commence in short order. It is understood that building plans and other relevant documentation have already been submitted and all the necessary approvals sought.
The academy will be constructed in three phases and will be spread across 18 acres of land donated by Foundation. The first phase of construction will include the erection of an administration building, changing rooms and two full-length football fields. This phase is expected to be completed by year’s end.
Phase two will feature one additional field, an entertainment/lounge area and a merchandising post. The third phase will include the construction of dormitories.
Lawrence advised that trainees will not be required to board at the facility at the outset and will instead spend two to three hours per day in training and social development, as is the case at other Real Madrid academies across the world. He highlighted the value of a holistic approach to the academy’s programme.
“What we plan to do is have the kids come in on an evening basis similar to the system that is used at other Real Madrid academies. For now we cannot consider boarding because of the cost and other elements,” Lawrence said.
“In Madrid, the academies have a relationship with the schools that the kids attend and with their parents so they are present in every aspect of their lives…this is a model that we will be adopting. We intend to take an inclusive and holistic approach,” he continued.
However, before all of this comes to fruition, Lawrence and his team of coaches, which include Linval Wilson, Granville Clarke and Reggae Boy Fabian Davis, will have to scour the schools and communities in the region to identify potential talent.
“We haven’t started (scouting) as yet but we will be going into the communities and into the schools… Most of the youths that we will be looking at are from the inner city communities such as Flankers, Glendevon and Salt Spring,” said Lawrence.
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2008-05-03 Written by: André Lowe Former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper and current member of the technical team Aaron Lawrence (right), with Marc Rollins.
Plans appear to be on track for the setting up of a Real Madrid football academy in Jamaica with first batch of trainees expected to be conducting their first drills as early as January 2009. This, according to former national goalkeeper and academy director Aaron Lawrence, during an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald on Friday.
Lawrence was designated to guide the establishment of the academy, which will be built on lands donated by the John Rollins Foundation in Rose Hall, St James through a collaborative effort from the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation and the popular Spanish club.
The academy, which will welcome 50 youngsters between the ages of 7 and twelve in its first intake, is being modeled of the successful Real Madrid Foundation’s School of Social Integration.
Its core aim will be to use football training to increase educational levels and improve social values for the Jamaican children who will participate in the programme. The local training school will help Jamaican children who come from deprived backgrounds.
There were fears that the programme, which was expected to be ready by now after a declaration of intent was signed by all the parties in June 2007, was in jeopardy of being scrapped. However, Lawrence who is also a part of the national technical set-up, sought to alleviate these concerns and gave an update on the progress of the project.
“The academy is definitely on stream. We went to Spain for a week and a half recently to look at their facilities and talk to the directors and we also took the opportunity to look at similar academies in Madrid,” he assured.
He advised that the meeting was extremely productive and that work on the US$3.5 million project will commence in short order. It is understood that building plans and other relevant documentation have already been submitted and all the necessary approvals sought.
The academy will be constructed in three phases and will be spread across 18 acres of land donated by Foundation. The first phase of construction will include the erection of an administration building, changing rooms and two full-length football fields. This phase is expected to be completed by year’s end.
Phase two will feature one additional field, an entertainment/lounge area and a merchandising post. The third phase will include the construction of dormitories.
Lawrence advised that trainees will not be required to board at the facility at the outset and will instead spend two to three hours per day in training and social development, as is the case at other Real Madrid academies across the world. He highlighted the value of a holistic approach to the academy’s programme.
“What we plan to do is have the kids come in on an evening basis similar to the system that is used at other Real Madrid academies. For now we cannot consider boarding because of the cost and other elements,” Lawrence said.
“In Madrid, the academies have a relationship with the schools that the kids attend and with their parents so they are present in every aspect of their lives…this is a model that we will be adopting. We intend to take an inclusive and holistic approach,” he continued.
However, before all of this comes to fruition, Lawrence and his team of coaches, which include Linval Wilson, Granville Clarke and Reggae Boy Fabian Davis, will have to scour the schools and communities in the region to identify potential talent.
“We haven’t started (scouting) as yet but we will be going into the communities and into the schools… Most of the youths that we will be looking at are from the inner city communities such as Flankers, Glendevon and Salt Spring,” said Lawrence.
Related Articles:
‘Small’ sport will suffer! Article Summary
Times Read: 29 Times Commented: 0Scroll down to comment