Goa-based Brasil Futebol Academia players join Pro clubs!

The Goa-based Brasil Futebol Academia (BFA) will be seeing seven of their players playing professional football this season. The BFA's aim is to develop local talent through Brazilian ways of coaching.

The following seven players have joined professional clubs this year: Alesh Sawant (on loan to Churchill Brothers SC), Faisal Shaikh, Bitu Singh, Jyotesh Palkar, Rajat Chopdekar (all Vasco Sports Club) and Parshuram, Prakash Khatri (both Goa Velha SC). Last season Rahul Kandulkar, Milind Shinde and Rohan Sagar Kamble had joined Vasco SC last season and have been retained by the club.

All of these former Brasil Futebol Academia players are expected to feature pretty heavily for their new clubs in the Goa Professional League this season.

"Playing all over Goa and learning from professional coaches and players along the way has been amazing," said Alesh Sawant, who is currently on loan to Churchill Brothers. He also thanked the BFA head coach Rodrigo Mendes Silva and other coaches for their support in honing his talent.

"The high standard of coaching and great playing opportunities at BFA was fundamental in enabling me to develop as a player and secure a professional contract," said new Vasco SC player Bitu Singh.

"We're delighted that our players will have the opportunity to play for professional clubs at such a young age. It will mean that they are playing at a higher level than and competing against professional teams. It's providing a chance for players to play at an elite level and progress on to a professional playing career," the Brasil Futebol Academia said in a release.

The 2012/2013 season will see a fresh intake of hungry young players joining the Brasil Futebol Academia for a chance to go pro. This season ten new players will join the 20 existing boys to form the nucleus of the Academy's Under-18 and Under-16 squads.