BY JULIET NONYE EKWENUGO
Kaduna
A new football development initiative, Powerful Boys Football Academy, has been launched in Kaduna State with the aim of nurturing young talents and promoting grassroots sports development.
Speaking during the unveiling of the academy in Kaduna on Sunday, the proprietor, Engr. Sunday Haruna Harrison, said the initiative was established to groom young footballers while also supporting less privileged children through education and mentorship.
Harrison explained that the idea was born out of his passion for football and desire to contribute meaningfully to youth development.
According to him, the academy will focus not only on football training but also on the moral and academic development of the players.
“The reason I decided to establish this academy is because instead of investing resources in other teams, I realised I could form my own team and run it successfully. Apart from football, I am also into charity, particularly helping less privileged children return to school”.
Harrison said the long-term vision of the academy is to produce players who can compete at both national and international levels.
“My vision is that this academy will not only be the best in Kaduna State or Nigeria but will also be recognised internationally”.
He added that the academy aims to develop players who are morally disciplined, academically sound and technically skilled in football.
The academy currently runs four categories: Under-10, Under-13/14, Under-15/16 and the senior team for players aged 17 and above.
Harrison, however, identified 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 said some individuals often lure players away after they have been trained and developed by the academy.
“When you develop a player, someone may go behind your back to meet the parents and take the player away. It is a major challenge in this business”.
He also called on parents to support the academy by respecting agreements signed with the management regarding the development of their children.
In his remarks, Dr. Alex Sule Mana, a retired FIFA referee and former lecturer at the National Institute for Sports, described the establishment of the academy as a step in the right direction for the development of sports in the state.
Sule Mana noted that Kaduna State was once a leading force in sports development, particularly in northern Nigeria, but had gradually lost that position over the years.
According to him, initiatives such as football academies can help revive youth participation in sports and restore the state’s reputation in the sector.
“There is no way we cannot support this initiative. Kaduna used to be number one in sports development in the North, but gradually we lost that position. With initiatives like this, the state can regain its place”.
He also called on the government and private organisations to support the academy, noting that funding remains a major challenge in running sports development programmes.
