TCI Children and Coaches Sharpen Skills with Real Madrid Foundation Football Clinics
Some forty children and close to 15 local coaches benefitted from a series of football clinics hosted through a partnership between Sandals Resorts International, Beaches Resorts, The Sandals Foundation, and The Real Madrid Foundation, the social entity of the Real Madrid C.F., to develop its social commitment through education, integration and cooperation programs.
The activities kicked off at the Turks & Caicos Islands Football Association National Academy on Monday, January 13, and ran through to Wednesday, January 15, 2020.
"This special partnership was two years in the making,” said James McAnally, General Manager for Beaches Resorts. “We are extremely excited to bring the Real Madrid Foundation to the Turks & Caicos Islands for the first time ever and present opportunities for our children and coaches to learn important skills and training alongside these talented and respected coaches here within our island."
In his remark at the opening ceremony on Monday, McAnally noted that "Through this unique relationship between Beaches Resorts, The Sandals Foundation and the Real Madrid Foundation, we're able to use football to offer theory and practical training while promoting good values and contribute to the holistic development of our local kids."
Over the three days, local children, all fewer than 12 years old, participated in intense football training sessions learning the Real Madrid tactics and techniques.
On Wednesday, January 15, local coaches benefited from a three-hour, immersive theoretical and practical training session with the goal of passing on the skills, training, and knowledge of which future generations can learn, benefit and excel.
"This was a tremendous opportunity for our junior players to be exposed to coaches and methods of training from one of the top clubs in the world. An experience like this will go miles in aiding their football development and we at the TCIFA look forward to continuing this fruitful relationship,” said TCIFA General Secretary Oliver Smith.
The programme forms part of the Real Madrid Foundation's and Sandals Foundation's ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility.
"The Sandals Foundation has always used sports as an avenue to engage and transform the lives of children across the Caribbean," said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director for the Sandals Foundation.
"Sport is an incredible tool that teaches lifelong skills in teamwork, tenacity, confidence, persistence and discipline. These clinics provide a unique opportunity to expose our youth and local coaching fraternity to learn the tricks and trade directly from professionals selected by the Real Madrid Academy, one of the world's most acclaimed football clubs," Clarke concluded.
The Real Madrid Foundation Football clinics were first executed in Jamaica in April 2019 and brought together some 50 local children. As the programme widens its reach to Turks and Caicos, Real Madrid Foundation' Clinics Manager, Andres Muntaner, expressed delight. "We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Beaches Resorts and the Sandals Foundation for it provides opportunities to educate the Caribbean kids using soccer with the goal to foster grassroots sports to all levels of players while promoting good values and contributing to the development of young players in the region”.
