Source: Arsenal
Arsenal Soccer Schools Make Middle East Debut
Arsenal Soccer Schools today announced that it will set-up its first Middle East Arsenal Soccer School in Bahrain in the last quarter of 2009. The school will bring professional soccer coaching and facilities to children of all nationalities and economic backgrounds living in Bahrain and encourage youngsters to ‘Play the Arsenal Way.’
The school will build on the passion that Bahrain already has for football and create a sporting environment that fosters teamwork, self development, empowerment and develops confidence as an individual and young athlete.
The Arsenal Soccer School will be easily accessible to children across Bahrain within close proximity to many of the Kingdom’s secondary schools.
Construction of the Arsenal Soccer School will start shortly with facilities including two FIFA approved third generation Astroturf pitches, a large retail store, supporters’ club, a clubhouse and Arsenal cafe. This facility will be part of an ongoing community initiative to develop the sport at grassroots level in Bahrain and promote the sport to all.
Commenting on the announcement, Steve Morrow, Arsenal’s International Partnerships Performance Coordinator said: “Initially, the focus will be on building a quality Soccer School program to encourage and support growth of youth football in the region. Arsenal will lend its technical assistance to help our partners in Bahrain to achieve their goals of establishing this program as the leading football academy in the region.
“The schools are not only about creating sporting heroes, they are set-up to give kids a strong background into the game, as well as instilling important social and communication skills that they can implement across all aspects of their lives.â€
Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim bin Hamad Al Khalifa added: “We are delighted to welcome the Arsenal Soccer School to the Kingdom of Bahrain and firmly believe the school will be a great asset and positive force in promoting football amongst children throughout the country. The professional coaching, facilities and the opportunities the school will offer will enhance the sport at a grassroots level therefore ensuring a strong, well trained, talent pool in the future.â€
Abdul Wahid Al Kooheji, Arsenal Soccer School’s Partner in Bahrain, has been instrumental in bringing the School to the Kingdom. He has a passion for soccer, has been a fan of Arsenal since childhood and has wanted to help build a legacy for the children of Bahrain.
“All around the world children dream of emulating their heroes. We believe that by setting up the Arsenal Soccer School we will give the children of the Kingdom an opportunity to achieve their goals as well as benefiting from a healthy lifestyle and the team spirit and bond of sport,†commented Abdul Wahid Kooheji, Arsenal Soccer School’s Partner.
The vision of Arsenal Soccer Schools is to promote a positive learning environment in which young players can both improve their understanding of the game and gain confidence as individuals.
The schools have been operating for more than 15 years and today have a truly global presence with 18 schools across four continents. The school’s coaching programme will be open to boys, girls and young adults between five and 18 and will teach students to ‘Play the Arsenal Way’.
The Arsenal method of coaching, developed over years at Highbury and more recently at Emirates Stadium, concentrates on skills including dribbling, running with the ball, heading, shooting, tackling, goalkeeping, attacking and defending team play, side matches and tournaments, as well as skill competitions.
All the coaches are Arsenal approved and UEFA qualified.
