Academy schoolboys return to training

The sun is starting to shine again, spring starts this weekend and, more importantly, the schoolboys at the FGR Academy are back.

It's been over three months since our academy players have been playing and training together, but Lead Foundation Phase Coach Yan Klukowski says things are looking up.

"These are very exciting times, especially for the children here at the academy," he explained.

"They've been chomping at the bit throughout lockdown and it's great to see so many smiling faces on the return.

"We love seeing the boys do what they do best, play football.

"It's been a challenging few months for everyone, especially the children with no school and no football.

"For them to come back and start training in an enjoyable environment is crucial for their physical and mental health."

While the players haven't been training in person at the club, the staff at the FGR Academy have been working hard to ensure they're ready for action.

"It's been tough to keep them all engaged over the lockdown, but it's so important," said Klukowski.

"We've been doing weekly challenges and weekly Zoom calls that range from physical activities to things like 'Become a Manager'.

"Some of our older players have been leading sessions for the younger ones which gives them some important social skills too.

"All of our age groups have missed out on football throughout the last year, so we're organising extra games for them as we're now playing catch up."