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Los Perfectos to establish football academy
By André Lowe Observer staff reporter lowea@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Manchester-based football club Los Perfectos FC, whose senior programme has been abandoned, is now looking to set up an academy in that parish before the end of the year in an effort to kick-start the development of youth football in the South-Central region.
With the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Academy yet to get off the ground, the club, which now only administers an Under-17 programme, is currently engaging the various stakeholders and fine-tuning plans as it moves to have the facility up and running in a few months' time.
There is no clear indication as to the budget for the facility or even how it will be funded; however, organisers have decided that the programme will see children as young as six years old drafted from various schools and clubs across the parish.
The academy is being designed to act as a feeder programme for the National Academy and will also focus on the academic development of the participants.
Youth football pioneer and recent CONCACAF Hall of Fame inductee, Tony James, confirmed the initiative and added that it was a long-time ambition of the club.
"I would love to see Los Perfectos become one of the pioneers of youth football and an academy approach to football development where we prepare kids for the highest level of football is what is needed in Jamaica. We are still in the formative stages, but I hope that by the end of this year we can bring it on stream fully," said James, who has led the club for over 35 years.
He added that although the plans are still in their formative stages, the club's administration is looking to get the input of interests groups such as the various schools and clubs within the parish.
Meanwhile, JFF vice-president and president of the Manchester Football Association, Dale Spencer, welcomed the move and pledged the association's support for the academy.
Said Spencer: "We (Manchester FA) welcome that kind of support for the development of youth football. We are aware of the intentions and we fully endorse it because it is right in sync with what we believe in terms of youth development. We are ready to assist in whatever way we can, even if we already consider this as a huge assistance for us in terms of what we want for our youngsters."
James, a former JFF president, stressed the need for a widely accepted youth policy and greater adoption for the academy system, which he termed as the foundation of success in countries across Europe.
"I don't think that the academy approach is fully recognised in Jamaica yet. It is essential in developed countries and is catching on in places like Africa and we need to take a page out of that in Jamaica. Most of our football is based on competition, which is extremely important as the showpiece for football, but we need to do a lot more fundamental groundwork and that is what academies can provide," he said.
"Youth football is the sleeping giant of Jamaican football. We need to pay a lot more attention to youth football. Any long-term gain for our programme can only come through a strong youth structure," he added.
By André Lowe Observer staff reporter lowea@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Manchester-based football club Los Perfectos FC, whose senior programme has been abandoned, is now looking to set up an academy in that parish before the end of the year in an effort to kick-start the development of youth football in the South-Central region.
With the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Academy yet to get off the ground, the club, which now only administers an Under-17 programme, is currently engaging the various stakeholders and fine-tuning plans as it moves to have the facility up and running in a few months' time.
There is no clear indication as to the budget for the facility or even how it will be funded; however, organisers have decided that the programme will see children as young as six years old drafted from various schools and clubs across the parish.
The academy is being designed to act as a feeder programme for the National Academy and will also focus on the academic development of the participants.
Youth football pioneer and recent CONCACAF Hall of Fame inductee, Tony James, confirmed the initiative and added that it was a long-time ambition of the club.
"I would love to see Los Perfectos become one of the pioneers of youth football and an academy approach to football development where we prepare kids for the highest level of football is what is needed in Jamaica. We are still in the formative stages, but I hope that by the end of this year we can bring it on stream fully," said James, who has led the club for over 35 years.
He added that although the plans are still in their formative stages, the club's administration is looking to get the input of interests groups such as the various schools and clubs within the parish.
Meanwhile, JFF vice-president and president of the Manchester Football Association, Dale Spencer, welcomed the move and pledged the association's support for the academy.
Said Spencer: "We (Manchester FA) welcome that kind of support for the development of youth football. We are aware of the intentions and we fully endorse it because it is right in sync with what we believe in terms of youth development. We are ready to assist in whatever way we can, even if we already consider this as a huge assistance for us in terms of what we want for our youngsters."
James, a former JFF president, stressed the need for a widely accepted youth policy and greater adoption for the academy system, which he termed as the foundation of success in countries across Europe.
"I don't think that the academy approach is fully recognised in Jamaica yet. It is essential in developed countries and is catching on in places like Africa and we need to take a page out of that in Jamaica. Most of our football is based on competition, which is extremely important as the showpiece for football, but we need to do a lot more fundamental groundwork and that is what academies can provide," he said.
"Youth football is the sleeping giant of Jamaican football. We need to pay a lot more attention to youth football. Any long-term gain for our programme can only come through a strong youth structure," he added.