PIFA children train at Liverpool Academy

The Premier India Football Academy from Mumbai organized their 24th international football camp to Europe this year. The PIFA Champions Tour 2011 was held at the Liverpool FC's - 'The Academy' at Kirkby in North Liverpool from June 1-9. Indian children got first-hand experience training under Liverpool academy youth coach Gary Judge, who holds a UEFA licence.

This is the first-ever Liverpool camp held for international children at 'The Academy'. The camp focused on technical training to help develop TABS - Technique, Attitude, Balance and Speed. Gary Lewis, Liverpool U-15 coach and UEFA 'A' licence coach did a special session for the campers to develop awareness on the pitch. Coach Darren did a session on SAQ and the use of specialized equipments such as parachutes and resistant chords to help build power, speed and balance.

The training was conducted every day on the astro-turf pitches both indoor as well as outdoor. The campers trained in Liverpool kit, got a tour of Anfield Stadium and museum. They were treated to lunch at 'The Boot Room' inside Anfield. The following day they were taken to Anfield for an interactive session at Reducate and a chance to pose with the UEFA Champions League Trophy won for the fifth time by Liverpool.

The children had a surprise visit by Liverpool Academy graduate and now Liverpool player John Flanigan. The children had lots of questions for him and learnt a lot about being a professional player with regard to his discipline, training and diet.

On penultimate day the children visited Old Trafford and were later invited to lunch at Jamie Carragher's restaurant in Liverpool – 'Café Sports England'. Later in the evening the boys played a friendly match against the local side form Runcorn.

Neel Shah was the final winner of skills test that were conducted through the camp. He won with a score of 730 points. The runners up was Yudister Jaisingh. Both the boys were presented with a trophy. All participants got a certificate from Liverpool signed by Ian Rush and a LFC gift set.

"This was the by far the best camp that we have attended, in terms of facility, training and enjoyment, we look forward to returning very soon," said PIFA Director Nirvan Shah.

The proceeds of these camps are utilised to develop the organisations I-League 2nd division team PIFA Colaba FC, a PIFA community football project undertaken by NGO - PIFA Foundation for benefit of sports in Colaba, Mumbai. The team in its fifth year of existence has reached the I-League 2nd division and finished third in the Mumbai Elite League.