Sydney FC hosted a special clinic at the weekend, as the Sky Blues’ Junior Blue Buddies were invited to join the Hyundai A-League team for the day.
The Junior Blue Buddies Members and their families were provided with the opportunity to watch the Sydney FC Hyundai A-League team train before taking part in a special one hour coaching clinic on the A-League team’s training ground with the A-League players.
The day ended with an exclusive signing session and photos with all the players in an unforgettable experience for some of our youngest Members.
“It was great to see over 60 of the club’s Junior Blue Buddies members and their families at the training ground on Sunday,” Community Football Manager Paul Reid said.
“The excitement of all of the girls and boys when they were either playing in the game with the A-League players as well as being taught various skills by them was amazing to see.”
The boys and girls were divided up into three groups and rotated between each of the three stations where a Sydney FC coach as well as a number of the Sky Blues’ A-League players joined in at each station.
Station one had Milos Ninkovic, Adam Le Fondre, Chris Zuvela, Paulo Retre, Joshua Brillante, Daniel De Silva and Michael Zullo and included a skills session where the players firstly showed the kids a way to beat a defender before practicing it themselves.
Station two had Alex Brosque, Brandon O’Neill, Andrew Redmayne, Ben Warland, Rhyan Grant, Alex Wilkinson and Trent Buhagiar and included a modified 11v11 game with the players.
Station three had Siem de Jong, Jop van der Linden, Alex Cisak, Aaron Calver, Charles Lokolingoy and Thomas Heward-Belle and included another skills station that involved running with the ball as well as the players showing the kids how to start juggling the ball and the importance of this to improve your first touch.
“There were many highlights throughout the course of the day,” Reid continued.
“The signing session with all the players is always very popular as the kids are beaming from ear to ear to have their Sydney FC shirt filled up with every player’s signature.
“One of the boys actually came up to me after the clinic with a huge smile on his face and said that he dribbled past Alex Brosque in the game to score a goal.
“This was definitely one of the highlights as it shows how much the kids look up to the players as role models from such a young age.
“I asked a girl what trick did Daniel De Silva show you and then she replicated it right in front of me which was another highlight.”
Sydney FC’s Junior Blues Buddies Memberships are available now! Kids available from $45 and Families from $140, with access to any three games, packs for the kids and an invitation to the next clinic scheduled for March. Click here to register.
The Clinics don’t stop for the Sky Blues with the Spring School Holiday Clinics kicking off on October 2nd at Macquarie University, with nine venues playing host to Clinics over the two week break. Click here to see all venues and to register your child today.
