Somersfield's Jacob Greene Selected for Valencia Youth Academy Training
December 12, 2010 — Four talented Bermuda youngsters have been given the chance to train with the youth academy of Spanish giants Valencia next summer after impressing the team's coaches.
Jasmine Spence, from Clearwater Middle School, CedarBridge Academy's Jibre-Lawrence Salaam, Jahkri Furbert, from Whitney Institute and Somersfield Academy's Jacob Greene caught the eye during last month's Next Generation VCF Camp at North Field.
They are due to head to the team's training base in Spain in July, 2011, where they will spend a week being put through their paces by Valencia's academy staff.
The La Liga side brought their Next Generation Camp to Bermuda as part of an agreement with Andrew Bascome's ABC Football School and are now interested in establishing an permanent academy on the Island.
More than 200 players, aged between seven and 16, took part in the four-day camp which Henrik Schroeder, the administrator for the ABC Football School, hailed as a resounding success.
"The camp exceeded all our expectations," he said. "Valencia's coaches weren't only good at their job, they were down to earth characters and had football in their heart."
Valencia CF Foundation have started expanding their brand into parts of the Caribbean, North America and Asia and recently signed a three-year contract with Jamaica which includes holding camps locally as well as sending youngsters to their academy in Spain.
Schroeder is looking for a similar deal for Bermuda. He said: "It's pretty expensive to bring this in for a one-time event so from our perspective we would like to establish a long-term partnership with Valencia. In Jamaica, they have signed a three-year agreement and that's what we're going to strive for.
"What does Valencia bring to the table? Well obviously there's a structure, a brand name and if they're willing to come in with full time coaching staff I would assume that's something Bermuda would enjoy. Valencia came back and said the environment in Bermuda was very conducive to what they are doing."
Schroeder said the four players selected to train at Valencia's youth academy were not only picked because of their talent but also their maturity and professionalism.
"All these players were selected by the Valencia coaches. The criteria was of course the skills they showed on the field but more importantly their maturity and professionalism. Do they take instructions, follow instructions and apply them in the game," Schroeder said.
Bascome, coach of First Division side Robin Hood, said Bermuda's coaches could learn plenty from the 'well structured and organised' sessions delivered by the Valencia coaches.
"I was very impressed with structure of the sessions, the drills and how well organised everything was. The drills dictated everything," he said. "One of the things the Valencia coaches said was that our kids were too playful. A lot of that behaviour comes from how they're coached (in Bermuda). If we set up in a unstructured, disorganised manner then the kids are going to respond that way. But these are small things that can be fixed with better structured sessions."
St. George's Colts coach Richard Todd, Wolves boss John Barry Nusum, former Devonshire Colts coach Ray Jones and Somerset Trojans player Danvers Seymour were just some of the local coaches who observed and assisted in the sessions put on by Valencia's coaches.
Valencia are ranked third in the all time Spanish La Liga table and are one of only three Spanish clubs to have won more than five international trophies.
Originally published in The Royal Gazette