The Brasil Futebol Academia in Goa

The Brasil Futebol Academia in Goa is the brainchild of Roberto Mendes Silva, better known as Beto in Indian football circles. The Brazilian who started his Indian career in Kolkata with Mohun Bagan before moving to Dempo SC in Goa is now making the switch to Churchill Brothers SC this summer. But Beto already has created his own legacy in India along with friend and fellow Brazilian football Jose Ramirez Barreto.

The duo in 2009 set-up the Brasil Futebol Academia (BFA) in Goa to give the children the opportunity to learn football in India the Brazilian way. The BFA is run by trained Brazilian coaches at the Chowgule Sports & Fitness Centre/Agassaim grounds and works with talented kids from the neighbourhood. As a way of giving back to Indian football, the Academy provides all of its services free of cost. The BFA has become one of Goa's best talent factories.

With the launch young Goans and coaches were introduced to Futebol de Salão, a smaller, heavier ball that is used in Brazil, along with a radically different approach to teaching football. With the local coaches' drive and enthusiasm and the Brazilian's knowledge and experience of South American coaching techniques, the first Brazilian Academy was born in Goa. Now, a couple of years on, Beto has a lot of children enrolled in his soccer academy.

Basic football skills are practiced by the children and good sporting behaviour is actively encouraged on and off the pitch. Qualities such as teamwork, motivation, leadership, discipline and friendship lie at the heart of playing soccer at BFA. The project BFA - Brasil Futebol Academia, has been created having in mind the social aspect, well-being, development of children and adolescents believing that in the fight against social marginality and war against drug addiction, the sports activities will always be excellent allies. The BFA will have as an objective of teaching the basic principles of football to all athletes lying in the age group from eight to 16 years, by helping them in the process of integration as citizens and transforming them into professionals in the field of sports. Besides looking after the formation of future athletes, the BFA will provide the students learning at BFA, a more dignified and healthy life. The BFA gives an unique opportunity for the footballers in India to receive structured and world class training from BFA which is one of the best and only academy is Goa that trains players to play football the samba way.

BFA courses have been structured to appeal to young athletes of all abilities. The central aim of BFA training program is to encourage children to spend longer time working with the ball practising and developing their skills.

BFA believes that children in India do not spend enough time training and working on their skills. Keeping this in mind, it has custom designed a syllabus for children in the age group of 5 to 18.

Strong emphasis is placed on developing technical skills of every child. Skills from basic to complex are broken down into easily learnable phases. These moves are then taught and repeated many times until the children become proficient at performing them individually, then gradually against other children and eventually in games. Repetition of skills such as passing the ball in a straight line and juggling are stressed throughout the program. Every player who comes to the academy is closely monitored by the coaches. Every week players are given points based on the performances in soccer skills youth soccer training, fun soccer drills, passing, shooting, position, attacking and defending, dribbling and crossing agility, ball control, soccer drills, soccer tips, new soccer techniques and Samba Magic (Tricks, Flicks and Step-overs).

A player that earns the maximum number of points in a particular month is judged the player of the month and is featured on the BFA Website. As a way of rewarding those that have shown the most improvement or have developed their skills to a high level, Brasil Futebol Academia has a selection of skills competitions. The overall winner of each competition receives a medal and gifts in recognition of their achievement.

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