Football: Youngsters to benefit from YKK/Real Madrid combination

The YKK Asia Group Kids Football Clinic (AKFC), conducted with the collaboration of Real Madrid Foundation, kicked off at the Racecourse ground in Colombo. 

This is part of YKK's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) projects done annually and one of the two football training clinics held annually in countries where YKK is operation. 

The clinic, aimed at youngsters between the ages of eight to 15 who are less privileged than the ordinary, kick-started on Friday (25) with a training camp for coaches, a new addition to the programme that was inaugurated in 2007 in Singapore. 

The official launching ceremony of the three-day programme was held on Friday morning at Galle Face Hotel. 

"YKK Lanka has various CSR projects and this football clinic further enhances our dedication to continuously contribute to the Sri Lanka society as a global local company. We are glad to have Read Madrid Foundation with us on this mission," Ryohei Nagahata, the Managing Director and Factory Director of YKK Lanka stated. 

The football clinic began yesterday at the Racecourse ground with two sessions held in the morning and later in the evening. 

Approximately 280 youngsters will take part in the clinic held in four sessions with 70 drafted for each session, which lasts three hours. 

The clinics are conducted by Pablo Gomez Revenga, Javier Garcia Torres and Jaime Torcal Cano, all qualified football coaches from Real Madrid Foundation. 

"This clinic is all about making the youngsters familiarise with football through fun activities, the Real Madrid way. The activities will be very simple and full of fun, giving the youngsters the experience of football," stated Revenga, the Head Coach and Director of Technical Schools of Real Madrid Foundation. 

Youwen Wu, the Chief Executive Officer of Asia Pacific Real Madrid FC speaking at the occasion emphasised that it would be the Spanish club's responsibility to give back to the society and its huge fan base worldwide. 

"It is the responsibility of Real Madrid to be part of this programme. We feel very proud to be involved with these programmes, teaching the young ones the sport loved worldwide. We have been in seeing the young faces since 2012 in the Asian region through this programme and as the most popular and professional football club of the world, we are indeed happy that Real Madrid was there," Wu told reporters. 

YKK continues the AKFC programme as a two-legged clinic annually in two countries where its branches are based -- Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. 

The programme was conducted in Sri Lanka in 2011, a year before Real Madrid joined hands with YKK. Since their inclusion, the AKFC has become a hit in the region. 

"We cannot help produce a Ronaldo within a session that takes place less than three hours. What we are looking at is more open and simple, to spread the game with fun activities and help the youngsters understand the value of sports, respect and humanity. We teach them how to do the basics and it's up to the local authorities to take the initiative forward," Revenga said. 

The main beneficiary of this clinic will be 140 potential youngsters from the SOS Children's Village and out of the remaining 140 slots, 70 will be given for youngsters from Badulla. 

All participants will receive a full set of YKK/Real Madrid Foundation kit, which includes a jersey, pairs of shorts, socks and boots in addition to a participation certificate and an experience of lifetime.