Ashley soccer camp ends

MAUN - Ashleys Soccer Camp ended on February 18 after three-months of intensive training for youth football teams at the Maun Sports Complex.
Mr Lawrence Gillard, the football academys coach said the Ashleys Soccer Camp together with Coaching for Conservation have been coming to Maun running summer camps for the past seven years.
We were on trials for the three months to see if we cannot establish a soccer academy here to help develop youngsters football skills in the region, he said.
He said they had been able to form five teams of 20 players each, in different age categories, making the total number of players to be 100.
We have selected 20 players for four age groups, namely the under-11s, under- 12s, under-13s, under-14s and an under 11-14 girls team. Mr Gillard said.
He said the players had been chosen from local schools on a pilot project to see if running an elite football academy alongside the ethics and fundamental values of conservation and respect had an effective link.
Mr Gillard added that they would be going back to the US to make evaluations of the project before returning to the country later in the year.
The ultimate aims for the project are to influence the mentalities and childrens outlook on Botswana and become a feeder scheme for the Botswana national team.
He said they could make the relevant changes to the programme and install more efficient methods that would ensure the long term success of the programme.
We would like to see by the end of the year a permanent coach over here from Ashleys Soccer Camp to ensure that the programme is being run to the highest of standards and has continuity.
He said this would lead to the overall success of the programme and move it in the right direction.
They have been working in many of the local schools linking conservation and football in a positive relationship, attempting to reach as many youngsters as possible.
We have been making home visits to the players houses and discussing with the families how much of a positive experience this project has been on their childrens lives.
He said they firmly believe this was a beneficial programme as they could see the difference between the academy players and the non-academy in their respect level.
Mr Gillard also added that in the long run, the academy would have a beneficial influence upon the players lives and the future of Botswanas football.
He said if the project could succeed in Maun, they will then think of expanding it to other areas in the country.BOPA