Junior Oz Soccer Team Trains With AC Milan, Thanks To EA

ea_soccer_kids.jpgSoccer, football, that game with the round thing – whatever you call it, it’s very popular, especially in Brazil. And the UK. And other places.

Apparently, it has a bit of a following here as well. So much so that EA was confident enough to give a junior Oz club, the Granville-based Western Rage, the opportunity to train with the AC Milan Youth Development coaching team.

EA obviously didn’t just hand the team the offer – the club won it via EA Sports’ “Train with the World’s Best” competition. To stand a chance, the club had to put together a 50-word piece explaining why they deserved the training above others.

I’m assuming that AC Milan is good, because I wouldn’t have the slightest clue. Regardless, Western Rage will have their abilities assessed over five sessions, and will receive a boatload of AC Milan gear and clothing.

A big, happy football/soccer/orange-filled press release can be found after the jump, which includes dates for the five training sessions, if you’d like to attend.

EA SPORTS AND FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCE WINNER OF TRAIN WITH THE WORLD’S BEST AC MILAN JUNIOR CAMP

Junior Sydney football club, Western Rage to learn from world leading AC Milan football coaches

Sydney, Australia – February 28, 2008 – Electronic Arts Australia has announced Sydney’s Under 14 Western Rage Junior Football Club team as winners of the EA Sports Train With the World’s Best Football competition, who will now receive tailored expert training from the elite AC Milan Youth Development coaching team.

The EA Sports Train with the World’s Best competition gave all Australian school and club based football teams the opportunity to have their team personally evaluated and trained by Football Development Australia (FDA) and the world renowned AC Milan Youth Development coaching team.

The Western Rage were selected as winners following the teams passionate fifty word entry to the Train with the World’s Best website, why they deserved above all others to receive this rare chance.

“With more Australian youth enjoying the opportunity to play football than ever before, it’s exciting to give an up and coming team the chance to be guided by the world leading AC Milan coaches,” said Ryan Jones, EA Australia General Manager.

“We are thrilled that we’re able to work with the FDA to provide this once in a lifetime opportunity and are eager to see how the Western Rage perform when the season kicks off this year following their expert program,” added Ryan.

EA Sports teamed with the FDA to support this money can’t buy opportunity to open up this usually very exclusive training program to all Australia youth football teams, while at the same time promoting the importance of youth taking gaming out of the bedroom and onto the field to keep active.

“As AC Milan’s official partner in Australia, FDA provides coaching tuition of the highest quality to local young players. The EA Sports ‘team development’ concept is very exciting for coaches and players as we have the opportunity to work together to change the course of the team’s season,” said Cormac Begley, FDA Director.

As winners of the competition each member Under 14 Western Rage team receives five training sessions from the AC Milan Youth Development training coaches as well as complete AC Milan training and playing kit.

The AC Milan training will initially assess the individual technical qualities of the players, ‘tecnica individuale’ through various ball skills and juggling exercises. This aspect of the program allows the AC Milan coaches to assess what areas of the player’s technique need to be worked on in more detail.

The program will then work on the collective aspects of the team’s play – ‘tattica collettiva’, and focus on teams ability to work together collectively to retain possession of the ball in match situations and also see how the players work together to regain possession when the opposition has the ball.

The teams five training sessions are set to take place at Garside Park in Granville, NSW, over a staggered five month period between February and June as follows:

• Session 1: Thursday 21/2/08
• Session 2: Monday 25/2/08
• Session 3: Monday 03/3/08
• Session 4: Monday 10/3/08
• Session 5: June 08

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