Claudelands Rovers are excited to announce the launch of the Youth Talent Program in partnership with the Waikato Football Academy. This partnership will see a renewed focus on youth development and provide a much-needed bridge for the gap between junior football and senior football.
The program is integrated into the Federation Youth framework of football development. It focusses on the team in the first instance and the individual skill of players in another. The program will work by integrating individual development of players into a third training session during the week. It is during this third session that players will experience different coaches and learning environments, consistent with following NZF training concepts for the serious Kiwi footballer.
The Youth Talent Program 2021 focusses on retaining our current players and families whilst also building and developing the players and teams we currently have. The growth of this program over the next three years will introduce an affordable, sustainable, full year development program in line with school terms and the winter season; teams in as many grades of Federation Football offered by WaiBOP as possible; qualified, personable coaches following a specified development protocol, endorsed by WaiBOP/NZF; teams attending National and Regional Tournaments at most levels and a program designed specifically for the Female Footballer, based on international research, offering appropriate training methodologies and age specific development opportunities for youth females.
Though ambitious, we believe the partnership between Claudelands and WFA in delivering on these outcomes is a much-needed step in the growth of youth football in our area.
Claudelands will be hosting the Youth Talent Centre Open Day in January, where players and families can come down an experience what the program has to offer. Coaches will be available to meet and run taster sessions, the Claudelands Youth Co-ordinator Keith Fraser and Waikato Football Academy administrator Christina Pegler will be available to answer any questions you have.
Keep an eye on social media for coaches announcements, Open Day dates and Trial dates for 2021.