Academy Sports Club had an impressive 2015/16 season, managing to secure five championships, one second place finish, and two third place finishes between their eight teams.
The club’s eight teams encompass a large age range, including U11, two U13 teams (U13A and U13B), U15, U17 girls, U17 boys, U21 and a men’s team that competes in the Cayman Premier League.
In the 2015/16 season the U11 team were league champions and FA Cup semi-finalists, the U13A team were league and FA Cup champions, the U15 team were league champions and FA Cup runners up, the U17 boys team placed third place in the league and were FA Cup semi-finalists, the U21 team were FA Cup champions, and the men’s team took home third place in the Premier League.
This year was the first time that Academy entered two U13 teams into the league and FA Cup. The decision was made after noting the large numbers of U13 players at the club. “This new approach will allow more kids to play and have more playing time at competitive matches,” said U13 Coach Paul Byles. “We hope to do something similar with our U11 players next season.”
Academy had a girls’ team for the second year, but the U17 girls’ league was unfortunately cancelled during the season due to lack of teams. “We still have plans to enter a girls’ team next season,” Head Coach Virgil Seymour said.
The U21 team and men’s team began training together this year, as many of the club’s senior team players are young enough to play on the U21 team. “This has been a successful arrangement as the younger players have gotten a lot of experience playing in the Premier League,” said Coach Seymour. “It has contributed to our success with an impressive third place finish this year after winning the First Division last year to be promoted to the Cayman Premier League.”
The U15 members of the club participated in the recent U15 and U14 Cayman Airways Invitational Youth Cups where they played against tough teams from all over the world. This experience playing against international clubs will be helpful as they gear up for their annual trip to the USA Cup in Blaine, Minnesota in July.
Academy will be taking four teams to Minnesota this year with players ranging from 8 to 15 years old. At last year’s USA Cup Academy won the U12 Gold Championships and in 2014 they were U13 Silver Champions. Coach Paul Byles said that the team is looking forward to continued success at this year’s Cup as well as in next year’s season.
“The boys have worked hard this season and at the recent Cayman Airways Youth Cups,” he said. “I know that experience will serve us well when we are in Minnesota.”
The club continued its youth development programmes this year, including their Saturday morning session called Football4All where children with special needs are coached by volunteer youth coaches. Football4All is a joint venture between Academy Sports Club and The Wellness Centre.
Other youth development initiatives include Academy’s FUNdamentals programme that seeks to provide players aged 4-5 years old with a fun introduction to football basics andteamwork, and an in-house junior football league which allows young players aged 6-8 to experience a real football league with proper rules, referees, and teams.
July 18, 2016 – Cayman Reporter
July 17, 2016 – Cayman Compass
July 15, 2016 – Loop Cayman
