- July, 29 2009 -
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Youth football talent search sees Under 16s having the chance to train with English Premier Club, Manchester City FC
Wednesday, 21st July – Kingston, Jamaica: Digicel, the largest mobile operator in the Caribbean and recent entrant to the Central American market, today unveiled the details of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics, Central America.
A huge hit two years running across the Caribbean, this year the Digicel Kick Start Clinics are going to be bigger and better with the football talent search coming to Central America throughout the month of August.
Kicking off in Panama on Tuesday, August 11th, the Digicel Kick Start Clinics will also tour Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador over a three week period in their quest to find the best and brightest Under 16 footballing talent.
And Digicel is proud to have secured world renowned footballer and former Liverpool and Juventus star, Ian Rush, as Head Coach for this year’s Kick Start Clinics in Central America, and to be teaming up with English Premier League club, Manchester City FC.
As Head Coach of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics, Rush will select the six most talented Under 16 players from across the four Central American countries. These players will then spend one week in October training with Manchester City’s youth team at the Platt Lane complex, home to the Club’s renowned Academy, in the hope of impressing the City coaches and realizing their dreams of becoming professional footballers.
Commenting on the Digicel Kick Start Clinics and his role as Head Coach, Ian Rush said: “The Digicel Kick Start Clinics are a great initiative. I’ve been really impressed by the feedback I have had in terms of the talent, focus and determination of all the players who took part in the Digicel Kick Start Clinics in the Caribbean. And with the Central American region as a whole renowned for its awesome football talent – I’m really looking forward to getting out there and helping to discover the next football superstar.”
More….
Digicel Group Marketing Director, Kieran Foley, commented, “This year, we’re going Bigger and Better with the introduction of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics to four countries in Central America. We’re delighted to have such high calibre support in the form of Ian Rush and Manchester City FC – and we’re looking forward to uncovering some fantastic footballing talent as we tour the region and making some young players’ dreams come true.
“Digicel is known as a strong supporter of football across Central America with our sponsorship of the Federations and Associations in Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador, ANAPROF in Panama and our role since 2007 as title sponsor of the Central America qualification tournament for the CONCACAF Gold Cup – the Copa de Naciones Digicel. We’re proud to be broadening this out now to support youth football across the region.”
The Digicel Kick Start Clinics are made possible by the full support of Jack Warner, Vice President of FIFA and President of both CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union, whose support has now propelled the clinics further afield into Central America.
Commenting on the initiative, President Jack Warner said; “This is another great example of Digicel’s commitment to the support and development of football at all levels of the game. The chance to be trained by a world-class footballer is something these young players would normally only be able to dream of – with the Digicel Kick Start Clinics, Digicel is making dreams a reality.”
Full details of the Digicel Kick Start Clinics will be announced locally over the coming weeks and will include details on how local clubs and school teams have the opportunity to be part of these once in a lifetime football development clinics.
For more information, visit www.digicelfootball.com
ENDS
DIGICEL KICK START CLINICS – CENTRAL AMERICA SCHEDULE
PANAMA:
Tuesday 11th August Launch Press Conference
Wednesday 12th August Clinic 1
Thursday 13th August Clinic 2 & Match
COSTA RICA:
Saturday 15th August Press Conference
Sunday 16th August Clinic 1
Monday 17h August Clinic 2 & Match
HONDURAS:
Wednesday 19th August Press Conference
Thursday 20th August Clinic 1
Friday 21st August Clinic 2 & Match
EL SALVADOR:
Sunday 23rd August Press Conference
Monday 24th August Clinic 1
Tuesday 25th August Clinic 2 & Match
Wednesday 26th August Closing Press Conference & Corporate Night
ABOUT DIGICEL GROUP
Since its launch in 2001, Digicel has become the largest wireless telecommunications operator in the Caribbean with more than six million customers. After seven years, Digicel is renowned for competitive rates, unbeatable coverage, superior customer care, a wide variety of products and services and state-of-the-art handsets. By offering innovative wireless services and community support, Digicel has become a leading brand in the Caribbean and has placed the region at the cutting-edge of wireless communications – the company is also a new entrant to the Central American market.
Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and now has operations in 31 markets world-wide. Its Caribbean and Central American markets comprise Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Panama, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos. The Caribbean company also has coverage in St. Martin and St. Barths. Digicel Pacific comprises Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean and Central American sports teams, including the West Indies Cricket Team and Special Olympics teams throughout the region. Digicel is also title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Championships and the Copa de Naciones Digicel, which are the Caribbean and Central American qualifiers to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
For more information, log on to www.digicelgroup.com