Pinnacle College Kyalami expected to produce a group of successful players
KYALAMI – Players who aspire to continue their football careers while completing their time in school will be able to apply at Pinnacle College Kyalami for a full-time learner-athlete programme.
A Kyalami school has partnered with a football academy to launch a full-time learner-athlete programme in which current and new players can enrol from next year January.
Pinnacle College Kyalami and Transition Football Academy will have players apply and go through the programme in which they will enrol at the school while playing for the academy.
Potential and current players for the academy attended the open day of the programme attended on August 14. On the day, Pinnacle College executive head of schools John Pilkington said it was time to get involved in producing a new group of successful players in the country.
Pilkington welcomed the director of the academy and UEFA B candidate coach Claudio Lorenzani along with players of the academy to tour the facilities available at the school and have their first training session on the campus grounds.
“We’ve long been lamenting as a soccer-loving nation about our teams not succeeding, besides under Desiree Ellis [South African Women’s football coach],” said Pilkington.
“In conversation with top ex-SA players and coaches, and confirmed by ex-European players and coaches, we are convinced it is because of a typical ‘either soccer or academics’ attitude in South Africa.”
Lorenzani said it has always been a goal and vision of the academy to create a full-time learner athlete programme, where they partner with a school that can provide an excellent platform for their players and allow them to have more contact time with players while they finish school.
“The academy has made great strides in transforming purely an extra-mural into one of the most powerful football programmes in Johannesburg. We have witnessed great growth from the players and have achieved some fantastic player promotions in such a short space of time,” Lorenzani added.
“This has been no easy task and we constantly have had to balance our players with other curriculum needs at their schools, such as extra lessons as well as school sports.”
Some interactions with the players in the academy will include between four to five training sessions a week, video analysis sessions, and creating an environment similar to full-time learner-athlete programmes in the United States, according to the academy director.
“We firmly believe that future international and professional players and coaches will emerge from this partnership, as will great human beings who will excel as leaders in this country so needing thereof,” Pilkingtonadded.
