Gratis
Well-Known Member
Central Coast Mariners take youth development to new level
by:Ray Gatt
A-LEAGUE champion club Central Coast has moved to shore up its already outstanding junior development program.
The club has signed what it describes as a landmark agreement to join forces with the International Football School.
Helped by the support of Central Coast Football, the Mariners and what will now be known as the International Football School Mariners Campus, will provide a raft of youth development programs it says will be based along the lines of those used by Spanish giant Bareclona and revered Dutch club, Ajax Amsterdam.
Under coach Graham Arnold, the Mariners have built a reputation around bringing in talented youngsters and giving them the chance at the elite level in the A-League. The likes of Mat Ryan, Bernie Ibini, Mitchell Duke, Mustafa Amini, Oliver Bozanic, Trent Sainsbury and Zach Anderson have thrived at the club.
Ryan, Ibini, Amini and Bozanic have already headed overseas to further their careers and the club hopes to povide a similar pathway to the A-League and W-League for the growing numbers of young players on the Central Coast.
Dutchman Patrick Zwaanswijk, who helped guide the Mariners to the championship last season before annoucing his retirement and is now head of the club's Youth and Community program, said the initiative is a great opportunity for the youth of the region.
"This partnership is an exciting development not only for our club but for the kids of the Central Coast and Australian football in general,” Zwaanswijk said.
"It is going to put the club's pathway on par with the academy's of the major European and South American clubs.
"In Europe a key focus is on ball mastery and technique as well as attaining 10,000 hours of high quality training by expert coaches by the time the player turns 18. We are replicating European best practice by combining daily training at the IFS Mariners Campus with our thorough academy pathway and high intensity games.”
Former Mariners Andre Gumprecht and Brad Porter will be heavily involved working under the Mariners' coaching umbrella which will also include ex-Matilda legends, Julie Dolan and Joey Peters.
As part of the Mariners new, aggressive approach to expand their community and development program Part of the Mariners program will also introduce after-school care football clinics, which will be run by former Mariners player Damien Brown.
Majority Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth, who took over the club under tough circumstances late last season, believes the club will continue to prosper because of "the unique program”.
"This is the first major development at the Mariners in my time as majority owner and I am proud that it is one that is unique to Australian football and will be a game changer for the sport,” Charlesworth said.
"We are implementing a world class model that will be the envy of every A-League club and we have set ambitious 10-year targets for the project.”
IFSMC chief executive Paul Chapman said it is hoped that by 2015 the school will cater for kids from Years 3 to 12.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...ent-to-new-level/story-fn63e0vj-1226671487661
by:Ray Gatt
A-LEAGUE champion club Central Coast has moved to shore up its already outstanding junior development program.
The club has signed what it describes as a landmark agreement to join forces with the International Football School.
Helped by the support of Central Coast Football, the Mariners and what will now be known as the International Football School Mariners Campus, will provide a raft of youth development programs it says will be based along the lines of those used by Spanish giant Bareclona and revered Dutch club, Ajax Amsterdam.
Under coach Graham Arnold, the Mariners have built a reputation around bringing in talented youngsters and giving them the chance at the elite level in the A-League. The likes of Mat Ryan, Bernie Ibini, Mitchell Duke, Mustafa Amini, Oliver Bozanic, Trent Sainsbury and Zach Anderson have thrived at the club.
Ryan, Ibini, Amini and Bozanic have already headed overseas to further their careers and the club hopes to povide a similar pathway to the A-League and W-League for the growing numbers of young players on the Central Coast.
Dutchman Patrick Zwaanswijk, who helped guide the Mariners to the championship last season before annoucing his retirement and is now head of the club's Youth and Community program, said the initiative is a great opportunity for the youth of the region.
"This partnership is an exciting development not only for our club but for the kids of the Central Coast and Australian football in general,” Zwaanswijk said.
"It is going to put the club's pathway on par with the academy's of the major European and South American clubs.
"In Europe a key focus is on ball mastery and technique as well as attaining 10,000 hours of high quality training by expert coaches by the time the player turns 18. We are replicating European best practice by combining daily training at the IFS Mariners Campus with our thorough academy pathway and high intensity games.”
Former Mariners Andre Gumprecht and Brad Porter will be heavily involved working under the Mariners' coaching umbrella which will also include ex-Matilda legends, Julie Dolan and Joey Peters.
As part of the Mariners new, aggressive approach to expand their community and development program Part of the Mariners program will also introduce after-school care football clinics, which will be run by former Mariners player Damien Brown.
Majority Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth, who took over the club under tough circumstances late last season, believes the club will continue to prosper because of "the unique program”.
"This is the first major development at the Mariners in my time as majority owner and I am proud that it is one that is unique to Australian football and will be a game changer for the sport,” Charlesworth said.
"We are implementing a world class model that will be the envy of every A-League club and we have set ambitious 10-year targets for the project.”
IFSMC chief executive Paul Chapman said it is hoped that by 2015 the school will cater for kids from Years 3 to 12.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...ent-to-new-level/story-fn63e0vj-1226671487661
