La Brea Football links up with US academy.
Trinidad Express.
Football is definitely on the upswing in La Brea, especially since Alutrint came on the scene. These are the words of former "Soca Warrior" Anthony Rougier who is also the Technical Director of the La Brea Football Academy.
The Academy was started two years ago by the late Winston Sinclair, a former national team manager and members of the famous " Strike Squad' Larry Joseph, Philbert Jones and Floyd Lawrence. Lawrence is now coach of the Academy's senior team, the Alutrint La Brea All Stars, who campaigno in the championship division of the Southern Football Association.
The All Stars recently qualified for the SFA's "Big Six" competition and won their first game 2-0 against T&TEC.
But it is the youth section that makes Rougier even more proud. He told the Express, "We have a coaching clinic every Saturday morning for all the young footballers in the area. This is sponsored by Alutrint and the Sports Company and we have over 100 youngsters attending. Our mission is to capture the young talent and develop it right up to the senior level".
Last week, the La Brea Academy hosted a visit from former US national defender Desmond Armstrong who is a director of the Premier Soccer Academy in Cleveland, Ohio. The US Academy also boasts US goalkeeper Brad Friedel and former England striker John Barnes on their coaching staff.
Armstrong visited La Brea to establish a link between the two Academies.
After conducting a coaching clinic at the Brighton Ground in La Brea, Armstrong remarked that he was " very satisfied with the ability of the youngsters". He also praised the sponsors . Alutrint and the Sports Company, for "investing in the youth of La Brea".