Thiruvananthapuram: Kovalam Football Club on Saturday kick-started yet another first in the State football history: it launched "catch 'em young", a concept the football-loving European countries had successfully tested and implemented.
Kovalam FC launched its grassroots academy in partnership with TEDDYBUDDIES pre-schools in Kowdiar and Technopark. Three coaches, certified for grassroots training, will conduct coaching sessions in both schools: 22 children, boys and girls of 4 and 5 years old have signed up so far.
Says Mr T J Mathew, the brain behind the academy: "At the age of seven, promising and interested children out of this group will be inducted into the city-based academy for further training and at the age of 12 those who have proven skills, interest and commitment will be offered admission in Kovalam FC's residential academy for intense training and higher education". For the new state-of-the- art campus in Arumanoor, Dr Shashi Tharoor, MP, and Mr O. Rajagopal and Mr K. Ansalan, both MLAs, performed the "bhoomipooja" recently.
