A rival A-League club is making a move to poach Canberra's best rising stars, taking advantage of the drama unfolding around Canberra United and the axed academy program to offer a pathway to the pros.
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Sydney FC's Academy Program at Erindale College will run its trials for next year's enrollment on Thursday, with over 60 youngsters registered to take part.
Erindale College teacher and coach Tim Davies is the coordinator of the program embedded within the school, and said it offers girls and boys between 14 and 18 years old an excellent opportunity to further their soccer development.
"Through my links with Sydney FC, I brought the club down nearly four years ago off the back of the boys Canberra United Academy Program ending, because I saw the need for more opportunity for young players," Davies said.
"We identified that more training needed to be available for players in the ACT and this way it's part of their study to provide three extra sessions in school.
"I've had some boys and girls players come from Canberra United's system, but we cater to those from all clubs across the ACT offering training and opportunities to go to Sydney trials and train with the academy up there too."
Some of the recent graduates through the Sydney FC school program have gone on to play for United, Junior Matildas, ACT representative teams, NPL Sydney and Melbourne sides, and A-League clubs the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets.
Davies, who has also been the goalkeeping coach at United the past two A-League Women campaigns and hopes to return next season, said Sydney FC have already identified two players that will go train with the Sky Blues Academy this year.
More opportunities are expected to emerge for female players than in the past with Sydney FC launching a girls academy program just this year.
"We will send up 10-15 players for trials every year to experience the higher level of training," he said.
"Sydney FC only got a junior girls academy program this year which means next year there will be a bigger opportunity for them."
Sydney FC poaching Canberra talent from Erindale College will hopefully be a thing of the past before long though, with the incoming men's A-League bid for the capital set to take over the program.
"Part of the contract with Sydney FC is that when a Canberra A-League combined men's and women's team comes here, then this program will actually be transferred over to them," Davies said.
"It will become a Canberra A-League community support program and Sydney FC are happy to hand it over."
Melanie Dinjaski
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know. If you have a story worth sharing, get in touch!
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know. If you have a story worth sharing, get in touch!
