Local teen footballer trains at elite Spanish academy

(CNS): Following his performance in the recent CONCACAF Under 15 Championships midfielder, Ryan Jackson now part of the Under 17 squad team recently travelled to Spain to participate in a number of football academies organised by the prestigious Next Generation Valencia CF (NGVCF) Academy. The ten day training sessions were hosted by the coaches of The Next Generation Sports (TNGS), an entity that specialises in training and development of young football talent. Jackson underwent exhaustive training to improve his physical condition and on-field performance.

The programme is an elite project that aims to highlight different approaches in football and promote modern methodology that can be adapted in different cultures around the world.
The young midfielder was accompanied by U15 and U17 National Team coach Dion Brandon and Technical Director for Youth Programs of the Cayman National Team Ardin Rivers. While in Spain, Coaches Brandon and Rivers met with the Spanish coaches and collectively the instructors evaluated training methodologies and shared enhancement tactics to improve young players.

Jackson is the fourth teenager whose skill and potential was highlighted during the Cayman Islands’ team’s games during the CONCACAF Under 15 Championships. He follows national U-15 team mates Leighton Thomas, Dante Ramoon and Zach Scott to Europe for the experience of training at prestigious youth football academies

Cayman Islands Football Association President Jeffrey Webb who also happens to be president of CONCACAF encouraged Cayman’s youth team to continue to strive for excellence.

“Travelling to Spain and observing Valencia was a chance for Ryan to impress the coaches as well as a chance for coaches Rivers and Brandon to experience the highest standard of youth development, which will improve their approach to the game and improve the benchmarks of what can be achieved with our young players,” he said. “We want to develop world class coaches along with good players,” Webb added.

The Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) along with Greenlight Re, a specialist property and casualty reinsurance company, funded the developmental trip through CIFA’s scholarship and academy programme.  The main aim of the programme is to provide financial assistance to national team players seeking to further their education while improving their level of football at colleges, universities or professional academies overseas.

CIFA Vice President Bruce Blake added, “This is another step in the development of our national programme and we especially thank Greenlight Re for partnering with the Cayman Islands Football Association to assist in the development of our national programme.”