firmus energy MUYL Academy was officially launched
On Friday 5th August, the launch took place along with special guests Liam Beckett, Sunday Life Sports Columnist and BBC Sports Pundit, and Keith Gillespie, Northern Ireland legend that was capped 86 times for his country. Both men alluded to the fact that that the Academy was a great idea to give kids extra coaching from some of the top coaches in the country. They also said football should be about fun first and foremost and not to forget that and everything would then fall into place. Also, there on the night was Pat Mc Gibbon ex-Manchester United player and current Portadown FC Manager. Pat said the youth need a focus on life and football is a great avenue for this. Michael Scott Managing Director of firmus energy and sponsors of the MUYL said firmus energy were very happy to support the Academy and the League and are committed to putting something back into the community as they are a local company.
Exciting new partnership with 'Playing for the Future & firmus energy Mid Ulster Youth League
Playing for the Future CIC and the firmus energy Mid Ulster Youth League have teamed up to develop an exciting new football academy. The project will be known as ‘The firmus energy MUYL Academy (MUYL Academy). The firmus energy MUYL Academy will be for players who are registered and play in the league and initially the programme will cater for players born in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Back row from left, Thomas Mc Stravick, academy head coach, Liam Beckett, Keith Gillespie, Paul Greenfield, Deputy Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, and Michael O'Kane academy secretary. Front from left, Cathal Agnew, Daniel Doran and Tomás Galvin, academy members and members of Armagh City Youth.
The firmus energy Mid-Ulster Youth League was formed in 1996 and now has a programme for u7, u8, u9 & u10 within the Games Development Centre and a 9-a-side structure for u11s & u12s. The league also caters for 11-a-side football within the u13 to u17 age groups. Approximately 2000 children play within the league structure each week.
Playing for the Future; founders of the highly successful ‘The Craigavon Cup’
The Academy will be led by Playing for the Future CIC who are a cross-community organization that provides opportunities through sport. They are the founders of the highly successful and prestigious youth tournament ‘The Craigavon Cup’. Their founder, Thomas Mc Stravick, has years of experience coaching in Northern Ireland and around the world, visiting some of the world’s best football Academies. Playing for the Future CIC will provide highly qualified and experienced coaches to deliver the programme which will be led by ‘UEFA A License’ coach Thomas Mc Stravick. The Academy will provide pitch sessions based on Technical and Tactical elements and there will also be a strong focus on the physical and psychological aspects of player development. A dedicated strength and conditioning coach will be working within the academy and workshops on psychology, nutrition, lifestyle management and performance analysis will also be delivered. Goalkeepers will also be provided with weekly specialized coaching, developed specifically to cater for their needs.
The Academy will select players from the member clubs to take part in this programme, which will consist of weekly 90-minute coaching sessions plus additional work on strength and conditioning, as well as additional workshops. Part of the programme will be to provide coaching clinics and master classes to help develop the coaches who work within the league. The MUYL Academy has been quick to announce its first clinic with English FA Coach Educator and Mentor, Chukwuma Akuneto, on 27th November 2016.
Head Coach Thomas Mc Stravick said;
“When I first approached Michael O’Kane from the firmus energy MYUL with this idea, he was really enthusiastic and supportive. So far the feedback from member clubs has also been very positive. The idea of the programme is to provide additional support to the member clubs and complement the great work they are already doing. We want to provide players with additional coaching to help them reach their potential. As well as developing their skills we also aim to improve their football knowledge so that when they get older, they become coaches or stay involved in the game, which I believe is key to the long term development of football in Northern Ireland.”
Angeline Murphy, marketing manager for firmus energy, added:
“The MUYL Academy is a progression of the successful firmus energy MUYL, which involves more than 100 teams from right across the area competing each week.firmus energy has supported the MUYL for the last three years and is delighted about the creation of the firmus energy MUYL Academy which will offer young players enhanced opportunities for development and specialist training from experts. Having had an excellent run at the recent European Championships local interest in football has reached an all-time high and I am sure the boys are keener than ever to get back to advancing their skills and playing competitive matches. You never know, it could be the first step on the road for many to national representation!”
Trials for the new firmus energy MUYL Academy will be on Sunday 11th, 18th & 25th September with the programme kicking off on Sunday 2nd October and will run right through until June 2017. Trials are nominated through the clubs. Club secretaries and managers will be notified of arrangements through the league.
To keep up to date with the launch and the Academy you can visit the MUYL website or Facebook pages. You can also visit the Playing for the Future Facebook, twitter or website for more information.
