Football camp with a message

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8: Most young footballers are not going to grow up and become the next Nahki Wells, but they all can end up being solid citizens.

Cal Blankendal, president of the Bermuda-Brazilian Football School, is looking forward to next week’s invitational camp which includes a host of overseas coaches, including a former Portsmouth-Man City player and one who teaches at the same school that President Barack Obama’s daughters attend. 

Blankendal said: “The main focus of the HSBC-BBFS Third Annual College Prep School Festival is to offer Bermuda’s talented student-athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of college and boarding school coaches. 

“Part of it is to see if they are able to attract the interest of those coaches for further education awards. But more importantly it’s too impart the importance of attending higher learning after they finish high school and to let them know they can still do that in an athletic setting.”

He said many young footballers believe the rigour of attending university and competing is too much. 

“We’re trying to tell them they have to balance their life. If we can teach them that at middle school before they get to S4 they have a better opportunity to actually make it.”

He said the Festival would hopefully help parents take a more active role in helping mentor their children towards setting academic goals that will help set them up for scholarship success. 

“They are making college plans with their parents instead of waiting for a college coach to contact them and no one has made those preparations or financial commitments.”

This is an invitational camp with high schools submitting 10 names each for students to attend. Middle schools have submitted five names and some youth clubs have added names to the roster of attendees.

HSBC is the title sponsor but XL and Amlin Bermuda have contributed to help allow the kids to attend for free.

Mr Blankendal said one of the highlights would be Carl Griffiths, who scored more than 100 goals in England and played for both Manchester City and Portsmouth in his career.

“He is going to talk with the kids who have the ambition of being the next Nahki Wells. He is going to tell them the highlights but he is going to tell them how tough it is to actually make it and stay in the game overseas.

“Everyone has the dream of being the next Nahki Wells or another Shaun Goater, but if we look at the numbers for Bermuda, they have a better chance of being a college graduate or have a highly-skilled trade and make a good living for themselves and their family. 

“They can be an asset to the community and law abiding citizen rather than put their finger in a big pot trying to be a professional football player.”

Mr Blankendal said
the chances of them actually becoming a professional footballer in England is “pretty slim” but “education is the foundation that no one can take away from them”.

The camp opens this Monday with a presentation from Martin Dell, the varsity girls coach at the Sidwell Friends School, the same institution that President Barack Obama’s daughters Sasha and
Malia attend. 

Other presentations include Appleby College (Canada), Carl Griffith and non-league legend Steve Portway.

“They are going to be talking about the youth academy system in the UK. Carl is a scout for an EPL academy.”

Day four of the camp deals with life skills. That will include university information and how to stay away from gang violence.

Day five will include more life skills work. 

Blankendal said: “Some of the kids probably feel we have let them down and there’s nothing else for them to do so they have to make their own way, which is negative.

He added the BBFS wanted to help show them there is a better way. 

“There is no way why they can’t be successful in what they want to be. It doesn’t mean they are going to be a doctor or a lawyer, they can choose any vocation that they wish, but they can become somebody that is a good citizen who takes care of their family.”

Neville Grant, head of payments and cash management, HSBC Bermuda, said: “HSBC Bermuda is proud to support the education and development of our youth through sport. 

“Bermuda’s Brazilian Football School and the College Festival offer our youth more than just an opportunity to upgrade their football skills, it encourages them to become excellent players, on the field, in the classroom and in our community.”