Next Generation Valencia camp kicks off today

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

More than 180 youngsters from across the island - between the ages of seven and 17 - are down to take part in today's second staging of the Next Generation Valencia Easter Camp, which will be held at Sabina Park, starting at 8:30 a.m.

Among the participants who have also been confirmed for the five-day camp is the national Under-17 team, which is currently preparing for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup Finals, to be held in Mexico this summer.

Ten females are also listed among the participants for the camp.

In addition to youngsters, there will also be 30 local coaches, who will be participating in the camp and they will be working alongside the Valencia coaches.

Among them are former national youth coach Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, Christopher Dawes and Andrew Edwards.

Calos De Lera, director of sports - Valencia Foundation, is the head of the coaching staff, and he will be assisted by Jose Vicente Lopez Bagues, David Sanz Cercos, Alfredo Ramos Lopez, Xavier Tamarit Gimeno and Juan Vicente Munoz De Morales Da Silva.

professional exposure

Next Generation Pro Baller Camp technical director, Andre Virtue, said the camp will help to expose the youngsters on how to become good professional football players.

"The expectations of this camp is that our players will begin to understand what it is like to go to the next level, and Valencia have proven themselves, and this is what they are good at," said Virtue, during yesterday's press launch at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.

The Valencia coaches will also conduct a special coaching session on Thursday for 30 inner-city kids from the Holy Family and Denham Town primary schools.

Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, minister of sports, who was guest speaker at yesterday's launch, applauded the organisers for incorporating the inner-city kids into the programme.

"I know that this is a golden opportunity for these students because they will be exposed to what is a new football experience for them, and it will also help to advance their knowledge and skills level," said Grange.

"Their participation in the programme may well set them on a path to be future football stars from Jamaica and gives them the opportunity and exposure for the first time to interact with professional football coaches from Valencia," Grange added.

Following last year's inaugural staging, two of the camp's scholarship winners, Martin Davis and Kaya Beckford, travelled to Spain for a weeklong training stint with the Valencia Academy.