Digicel kick-starts Caribbean youngsters’ dreams at academy

Through the Digicel Kickstart programme, 42 aspiring young footballers from the Caribbean and Central America are in Kingston, Jamaica, to attend the Digicel Kickstart Academy and train with coaches from one of the biggest clubs in the world, Manchester City FC.{{more}}

From March 29 to May 14, Manchester City FC coaches visited 14 countries across the region to deliver the Digicel Kickstart Clinics and select the top three players from each country to take part in the Academy. The Academy will now challenge these players to demonstrate what they have learnt and their commitment to improving their game, as they vie for an opportunity of a lifetime – a trip to England to train at the City Football Academy, Manchester City’s elite training and youth development facility.

Earlier this year, six of the top players from the previous Academy experienced what it is like to train like a City player when they visited the Club’s training ground in Manchester. They also got a chance to watch Manchester City go head to head with Everton and see City stars, including Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero, in action on the pitch.

Lead coach for the Digicel Kickstart Academy and City Football Schools project manager Alan Dixon said: “Digicel share Manchester City’s passion for developing footballing talent, which is exactly what the Digicel Kickstart programme is all about. As a result, we are delighted that we can contribute to the overall success of the programme, providing the region’s aspiring young players with opportunities to improve their game. The coaches and I are excited to be supporting the players on their football journey and we look forward to working with them at the 2016 Digicel Kickstart Academy.”

Digicel director of Marketing Peter Lloyd said; “We are delighted to be able to create a platform for these young footballers to not only compete against the best in the Caribbean, but also to learn from the best coaches from one of the biggest clubs in the world. Digicel is very committed to developing our youth and unearthing talent, and thanks to the coaches from Manchester City FC, this programme is doing just that.”

The Digicel Kickstart programme provides an avenue for young footballers to improve and hone their footballing skills and talents, while building character – both on and off the pitch. The programme has been a huge success to date and has generated support from football fans across the region and beyond.

To ensure that family and friends can continue to follow the boys’ journey, the Academy will be captured by Sportsmax and shared through 30-minute programmes. Other highlights from the Academy will be shared online, digitally via various social media platforms with 15 and 30 second clips and on mobile via the LOOP News app.