Football Academy Launched in Kaduna to Develop Young Talent

A new grassroots football initiative, Powerful Boys Football Academy, has been launched in Kaduna State with the aim of discovering and nurturing young talents while promoting youth development through sport.

The proprietor of the academy, Engr. Sunday Haruna Harrison, said the initiative was created to groom promising young footballers while also providing educational support and mentorship for less-privileged children.

Speaking during the unveiling of the academy in Kaduna on Sunday, Harrison explained that the project was driven by his passion for football and commitment to youth empowerment.

According to him, the academy will prioritise not only football training but also the moral and academic development of its players.

“Our long-term vision is to produce players capable of competing at both national and international levels,” he said.

Harrison added that the academy aims to raise footballers who are technically skilled, academically sound and morally disciplined.

The academy currently runs four age categories: Under-10, Under-13/14, Under-15/16, and a senior team for players aged 17 and above.

However, he highlighted several challenges facing grassroots football development, particularly the poaching of players by individuals who approach parents without the knowledge of the academy’s management.

He therefore urged parents to support the academy by respecting agreements signed with the management regarding the development of their children.

In his remarks, retired FIFA referee and former lecturer at the National Institute for Sports, Dr Alex Sule Mana, described the establishment of the academy as a positive step for sports development in Kaduna State.

He noted that Kaduna was once a leading centre for sports development in northern Nigeria but had gradually lost that status over the years.

According to him, initiatives such as football academies could help revive youth participation in sports and restore the state’s reputation in the sector.

Dr Mana also called on government and private organisations to support the academy, stressing that funding remains a major challenge for grassroots sports development programmes.