THE ENGLISH CUP HOSTS THE DAVID BECKHAM ACADEMY
Shrewsbury Sports Village will be bursting with life during the week of The English Cup (2nd – 7th August 2009). Shrewsbury’s International Tournament will bring footballers of all abilities to play in its competitions for 11 to 18 year olds and festivals for the 7 to 10 age groups.
This year there is something new. Young people taking part in the competitions and others from the area who come along to enjoy the football will be able to have a fabulous experience with The David Beckham Academy who will be based on the tournament field for the week.
Academy Head Coach Ted Dale will lead the skilled team of coaches from the Academy and will offer various programmes to teams and individuals. This will include a new skills competition, created by the Academy, which “pairs of players” can enter.
The Academy was conceived in Madrid when David Beckham told his friend Ted Byrne that he would like to build soccer schools in a way that had never been down before. They would have the best coaches and the best facilities to offer the kids the best time possible.
That is exactly what he has done first in London and in Los Angeles.
In London, the David Beckham Academy welcomes over 10,000 school children a year, of all ability levels with equal numbers of boys and girls. In his Soccer Skills Book “Making it Real” David explains that while the vision is to maintain the highest standards of football coaching for kids. He wants to help to produce some children who can go all the way and have careers as professional footballers, but emphasises that is not the main aim of the Academy. It’s about having a place where kids can come and learn and, where they can be safe. The main goal is for them to have a fun experience through football.
The David Beckham Academy building itself is something special, with two full size football pitches under one roof and a suite of classrooms, medical facilities and dining areas. It is a mind-blowing place and Soccer Destinations has agreed with the Academy to make it easy for youngsters from around England and Wales to have a day at the Academy with a time spent on coaching drills, classroom activities, team building, mini tournaments and on the skills circuit.
If you want to take part in the Academy programme at The English Cup let us know and we will send full details and offer a chance to register. After you get into the tournament fields the Academy experience is free.
