Former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper and current member of the technical team Aaron Lawrence (right), with Marc Rollins.Plans appear to be on track for the setting up of a Real Madrid football academy in Jamaica with first batch of trainees expected to be conducting their first drills as early as January 2009. This, according to former national goalkeeper and academy director Aaron Lawrence, during an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald on Friday.
Lawrence was designated to guide the establishment of the academy, which will be built on lands donated by the John Rollins Foundation in Rose Hall, St James through a collaborative effort from the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation and the popular Spanish club.
The academy, which will welcome 50 youngsters between the ages of 7 and twelve in its first intake, is being modeled of the successful Real Madrid Foundation’s School of Social Integration.Its core aim will be to use football training to increase educational levels and improve social values for the Jamaican children who will participate in the programme. The local training school will help Jamaican children who come from deprived backgrounds.
There were fears that the programme, which was expected to be ready by now after a declaration of intent was signed by all the parties in June 2007, was in jeopardy of being scrapped. However, Lawrence who is also a part of the national technical set-up, sought to alleviate these concerns and gave an update on the progress of the project.
“The academy is definitely on stream. We went to Spain for a week and a half recently to look at their facilities and talk to the directors and we also took the opportunity to look at similar academies in Madrid,” he assured.
He advised that the meeting was extremely productive and that work on the US$3.5 million project will commence in short order. It is understood that building plans and other relevant documentation have already been submitted and all the necessary approvals sought.The academy will be constructed in three phases and will be spread across 18 acres of land donated by Foundation. The first phase of construction will include the erection of an administration building, changing rooms and two full-length football fields. This phase is expected to be completed by year’s end.
Phase two will feature one additional field, an entertainment/lounge area and a merchandising post. The third phase will include the construction of dormitories.
Lawrence advised that trainees will not be required to board at the facility at the outset and will instead spend two to three hours per day in training and social development, as is the case at other Real Madrid academies across the world. He highlighted the value of a holistic approach to the academy’s programme.
“What we plan to do is have the kids come in on an evening basis similar to the system that is used at other Real Madrid academies. For now we cannot consider boarding because of the cost and other elements,” Lawrence said.
“In Madrid, the academies have a relationship with the schools that the kids attend and with their parents so they are present in every aspect of their lives…this is a model that we will be adopting. We intend to take an inclusive and holistic approach,” he continued.
However, before all of this comes to fruition, Lawrence and his team of coaches, which include Linval Wilson, Granville Clarke and Reggae Boy Fabian Davis, will have to scour the schools and communities in the region to identify potential talent.
“We haven’t started (scouting) as yet but we will be going into the communities and into the schools… Most of the youths that we will be looking at are from the inner city communities such as Flankers, Glendevon and Salt Spring,” said Lawrence.
_________________________ "Victory" in wars are never about who is right or wrong but more about who is left standing.
LONDON (AFP) - West Ham striker Craig Bellamy plans to build a football academy in Sierra Leone in an attempt to help the country's young players develop into global stars.
Bellamy visited the war-torn African country last year and was so impressed by the local talent that he vowed to give them improved facilities to hone their skills.
The Wales international has followed up on his pledge and on Tuesday he announced the Craig Bellamy Foundation is set to start the construction of an academy in the capital Freetown which will include 14 new leagues and 68 new boys' teams and employ 141 managers and coaches.
While improving the country's football is Bellamy's primary motivation, the former Liverpool player knows Sierra Leone has the worst child mortality rate in the world and hopes the foundation will lead to more youngsters receiving health awareness education.
Bellamy, who has reportedly invested 650,000 pounds of his own money into the foundation, said: "Because of what's happened over the years with the war, children haven't had any opportunity.
"They haven't been thrown a football, they've been thrown a gun.
"Now we can give them a chance that their fathers or grandfather's never had. That's the buzz for me.
"I'm not looking to find and sell players. I'm not an agent. I want to make it clear that if any player does make it, any fee goes straight back into the academy
I always feel happy when i see something like this, a top class footballer putting something really significant back into a community with his own personal money. Great to see.
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Well now that two yutes have good to Madrid to train and Usain has stroke the Bernabeau with "To di worl" is Real Madrid ready to continue work on their proposed academy.
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Well all know it well be out west with access to one of the new Spanish resorts. It will be important to keep the JFF away from these funds.
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Usain Bolt to be appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the school.Many young Jamaican footballers will soon be afforded hope, as the first phase of the 'Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration' will be launched here on April 27. The school will be the first of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean.
The proposed football school will be modelled off the Real Madrid Foundation's network of schools for social integration and will target young people in underprivileged situations and will transcend purely sport education, focusing on social integration, training youngsters through solidarity, community and social service to ensure that they will be able to cope in different aspects of their daily lives and improve short-term education prospects. Real Madrid defines this idea as "educating young people through the values of sport."
On April 26, Emilio Butragueno, who is an internationally acclaimed former Spain and Real Madrid striker, renowned in the 1980's for his remarkable football prowess, will play a leading role in the inauguration ceremony of the club during his April 26-28 visit to the island along with other representatives of Real Madrid.
On the invitation of the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation, Butragueno who is the current director of institutional relations for the Spanish mega club will launch the first phase of the school. An agreement will be signed among the partners supporting the project: the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation, Rose Hall Developments Limited and the Real Madrid Foundation, during a ceremony at the Knutsford Court Hotel on April 27. World 100 metre and 200 metres record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt will also be there. Real Madrid will also use the occasion to formally appoint Bolt as Goodwill Ambassador of the school.
The school will be temporarily located on the lands of the Rose Hall Football Field, which is adjacent to the Hilton Hotel in Montego Bay. During the school's first year, it will provide training for approximately 30-50 boys and girls and will be managed by former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper, Aaron Lawrence.
The second phase of the school will see it expanding with the erection of a permanent structure on lands donated by the Rollins family in the Rose Hall area
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BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
ROSE HALL, St James --The much-anticipated Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration in Montego Bay was officially launched here yesterday, highlighted by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Rose Hall football field near the Hilton Hotel, attended by former Spain and Real Madrid striker Emilio Butragueno.
Other dignitaries in attendance were Water and Housing Minister Horace Chang, Montego Bay mayor Charles Sinclair, and a large contingent of the executive board of the Spanish Jamaica Foundation, headed by Spanish ambassador to Jamaica, Jesus Silva and JFF president captain Horace Burrell.
Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang (third right) prepares to cut the ribbon to officially launch the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration in Montego Bay yesterday. Looking on (from left) coach Aaron Lawrence, Spanish ambassador Jesus Silva, Real Madrid's Emilio Butragueno, mayor of Montego Bay Charles Sinclair and Phillip Hofer managing director of Iberostar Rose Hall Beach and Spa Resort. (Photo: Horace Hines) [Hide Description] Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang (third right) prepares to cut the ribbon to officially launch the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration in Montego Bay yesterday. Looking on (from left) coach Aaron Lawrence, Spanish ambassador Jesus Silva, Real Madrid's Emilio Butragueno, mayor of Montego Bay Charles Sinclair and Phillip Hofer managing director of Iberostar Rose Hall Beach and Spa Resort. (Photo: Horace Hines) [Restore Description] 1/1
The programme, which will be overseen by former Reggae Boy goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence, will target children between the ages of seven and 11, drawn from inner-city St James communities, and will provide sports education, with a strong focus on social integration.
"Real Madrid defines this idea as educating young people through the values of sports," noted a press release from the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation.
Meanwhile, Silva expressed his pleasure that the first phase of the football academy kicked off yesterday.
"It's very important for the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation that this project is finally starting its first phase. We are very grateful to the Real Madrid Foundation represented by Mr Butragueno, that they have supported this endeavour. The important thing is that something that Real Madrid is teaching us we want to educate young people in the value of sports," Silva expressed.
He further expressed his gratitude to the Rollins Foundation for providing the temporary site for the first phase of the project, noting that the permanent home will be ready next year on lands provided by the Rollins Foundation.
Meanwhile, the Spanish striker, who represented Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration, was also pleased that the first phase of the project got underway yesterday.
"What we want to do is to help young people to become human beings with a specific value, that is the bottom line. We haven't come here to look for a new Cristiano Ronaldo, but the big deal is to help to have a relationship with Jamaica and try to help young people . Through football we can help them," Butragueno said.
He explained that that the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration, which has similar projects in 15 other countries, will now maintain direct contact with the project in Jamaica.
Today the inauguration ceremony of the signing of the agreement between the Real Madrid Foundation, Spanish-Jamaica Foundation and Rose Hall Development will be held in Kingston, at which time world double sprint record holder Usain Bolt will be conferred with the Diploma as Goodwill Ambassador by Butragueno.
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Assalamu alay kum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu (Peace, mercy and blessings be upon you)
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Real Madrid launch football school in JA Published: Wednesday | April 28, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions Mark Rollins (left) of Rose Hall Developments Limited, Jesus Silva (centre), ambassador of Spain and president of the Spanish Jamaica Foundation, and Emilio Butragueno, director of institutional relations for Real Madrid Foundation, sign off on an agreement between the entities for the development of the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration, at Knutsford Court Hotel, Ruthven Road, yesterday. - Winston Sill/Freelance PhotographerRyon Jones, Gleaner Writer
Youngsters from some of the most troubled communities in Montego Bay have been afforded an avenue to develop and enhance their football skills, with the establishment of the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration.
The school, which is the first of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean, is a joint venture between the Real Madrid Foun-dation (RMF), Spanish Jamaican Foundation (SPJF) and Rose Hall Developments (RHD).
The school will be temporarily located on the lands of the Rose Hall football playing field, which is adjacent to the Hilton Hotel in Montego Bay.
Former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper, Aaron Lawrence, manages the school, which started over the weekend with approximately 30 boys and girls.
"This is my dream that I had that when I was finished playing and finished doing the things that I could do best, then I would help other youngsters to be better persons and teach them to be better footballers," said Lawrence, while speaking at the signing of the agreement between RMF, SPJF and RHD, at the Knutsford Court Hotel yesterday.
"It is a social integration school, we will get these kids from the various communities and most of the inner-city youths," he added.
The Ambassador of Spain and president of the SPJF, Jesus Silva informed that in the school's second phase, it will be expanded with the erection of a permanent structure on lands donated by the Rollins family in the Rose Hall area.
"We are going to start a fund-raising campaign with our objective being to start building the future infrastructure for the school, which will have two football fields, classrooms and changing rooms," said Silva. "The Spanish Jamaican Foundation is going to be responsible for funding the day-to-day running of the school," he added.
Confident
Emilio Butragueno, the internationally acclaimed former Spain and Real Madrid striker and director of institutional relations for Real Madrid, is confident the school will be a success.
"We receive many, many offers to set up our schools in many countries so we need to have a guarantee that this school is going to be ran in the proper way and here we feel very comfortable and I am sure it is going to be a very successful project," said Butragueno.
"The main purpose right now is to help young people here in Jamaica, that is the first step. We will see what can happen in the future. We hope and would like to have a long relation (ship) with Jamaica," the Spaniard added
