The excitement is high in the Free State with the final talent selection camp for 40 young footballers taking place this week in Bloemfontein at HTS Louis Botha.
Five aspiring Free State footballers will be chosen to represent South Africa in the Grand Skills Final in the UK in October.
Bloemfontein Courant previously reported on two of the Free State footballers Tyrone Mondi and Jesse Seekoei who stayed and trained at the from the Bolton Wanderers FC Academy in England in the past.
This initiative forms part of the broader partnership between Simsport International, the
Free State Tourism Authority and Bolton Wanderers FC.
This week will be the final step of this year’s talent identification process. The coaches from the Bolton Wanderers FC Academy including head coach Dave Bailey who were here in June will have a final look
In October these five young talents will be given the opportunity of a lifetime and travel to the UK, where they will stay and train at Bolton’s Academy facilities around the famous Reebok Stadium. They will represent South Africa at the Grand Skills Finals, which has players from all over the world.
Bailey expects a high level of this year’s competition: “The strength of the Grand
Skills Final always amazes us, the quality of players is high and this showed throughout
the week in training. We now look forward to 2013 and what will be our sixth year of
running this competition.”
The winner of the Grand Skills Final will receive a yearlong scholarship on Bolton’s most
prestigious education programme worth £25,000 and will train at the Bolton Academy. A
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any young footballer.
Bolton Wanderers have a huge focus on youth and their U18’s finished above the likes
of Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal last season. In addition, their U11’s won the
International Festival ahead of Barcelona and Ajax Amsterdam. The Bolton Wanderers
FC Academy is rated a Level One Academy by the British Football Association. – SOMSPORT INTERNATIONAL
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