The South African Football Association (SAFA) has acknowledged that Youth football development is a key performance area for football development in South Africa. SAFA further acknowledges that there are Youth football development programmes throughout the country that are focusing on the football development of both girls and boys. The newly developed Technical Master Plan has identified Youth football development as an important pillar to enhance the prowess of South African Football.

The South African Football Association therefore requests that all Youth football development programmes, Youth football Academies, Football programmes of excellence and any other football related development programmes, register with SAFA.

This registration process will enhance the SAFA database as well as assist in the identification of our hidden football talent in the country.

“SAFA and the SAFA Development Agency (SDA) want to capture all academies, schools of development or any project that’s in the community to place them on our database so that when people contact us wanting these institutions we are able to point to the right direction. Also, so that we can provide them with support, and, to a large extent, they can apply to the 2010 FIFA Legacy Trust Fund for funding. We will also grade them according to the different levels of bronze, silver or gold, depending on what they offer and how they offer it. Perhaps a crucial point is that we will also be in a position to know which academies are operating and we can get rid of the fly-by-nights,” said Acting Technical Director at SAFA Ms Fran Hilton-Smith.

“We also want to make sure that all the projects are following the plans of the SAFA Development Agency with regards to the Technical Master Plan. And that is why we are urging all the academies register with SAFA and in that way we can assist them to develop and provide service to SAFA which is badly needed. We need these academies and we want to encompass them in their growth.”

As we seek to raise funding for the implementation of our Technical Master Plan, this information will help us in establishing the need that is out there, and also help us to provide some form of quality assurance for all stakeholders. SAFA therefore urges and encourages all Youth football development programmes to complete the attached form and return it to SAFA as urgently as possible.

Click here to download Youth Development Programmes Application Form

Closing Date: 31 July 2013

Fax or email to the following attention:

Ms Fran Hilton-Smith (Acting Technical Director – SAFA)

Mr. Luxolo Ngcuthushe (National Development Coordinator – SAFA Development Agency)

Mr. Kagiso Matlaopane (Development Coordinator – SDA)

Fax no 086 206 0482

Email: sda@safa.net
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