- November, 07 2011 -
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Saturday, November 5th 2011 – Port of Spain, Trinidad: Becoming a world class footballer is a dream that many young boys aspire to, and winning a place at the inaugural Digicel Academy in Trinidad could be a step in that direction for the 37 boys who this week are training under top coaches from the Sunderland Academy.
However, for one 16 year-old, spending a week training like a professional footballer at the Digicel Academy is a dream come true.
Ivan Dario Murillo Mayoma was born in Colombia – the youngest of three children. When he was 14, his mother forced him to leave the country in order to avoid the dangerous and often life-threatening circumstances that many young Colombian men fall into – including his older brother.
Ivan’s mother had to rescind her rights to her own son in order to have him legally move to Panama under the guidance of a friend – who suggested he play football. At 14, Ivan left his mother and his home and went to Panama in the hope of a better life. In Panama, Ivan signed to play with Chorillo Football Club where he has lived ever since. Of his US$100 monthly pay cheque, he sends US$70 back to his mother in Colombia to assist her.
Eighteen months later, Ivan applied for the Digicel Kick Start Clinics under the leadership of England and Liverpool football legend, John Barnes. Of the 749 boys who tried out, Ivan was one of the last four chosen for a place at the Digicel Academy and is this week training under the watchful eye of Sunderland Academy coaches, Carlton Fairweather and Kevin Ball.
Speaking about the opportunity, Ivan said; “I was very nervous when I went to try out for the Digicel Kick Start Clinics. I am not from Panama and I was worried about the standard – I had never seen so many boys play at such a good level. But when I went out to show my skills and I took control of the pitch, I began to gain confidence in myself.
“When I was chosen by John Barnes for the Academy, I could not believe it. I felt like I had something, I felt like I could compete.
“This week has been great, I have learned so much about different training styles and while it’s been tough with the long hours and the physical pressure, I have loved every minute of it.
“My dream of becoming a footballer in the English Premier League is now clearer than ever before. With God’s help, I will get there one day and maybe even go on to become a coach and give to children what the Sunderland coaches are giving to us,” he finished.
The Digicel Academy is a week-long elite training camp which takes place in Trinidad from November 1st to 7th under the leadership of top Barclays Premier League coaches, Kevin Ball and Carlton Fairweather, from the Sunderland Academy, assisted by John Barnes. The Digicel Academy will also host a ‘coach the coaches’ seminar in which coaches from across the region will get expert training from Sunderland AFC’s finest teachers.
For more information, visit www.digicelfootball.com.
ENDS
ABOUT SUNDERLAND AFC
Formed in 1879, Sunderland AFC joined the English Football League in 1890.
Based in the football hotbed of the North East of England, the club has a rich and proud history stretching across many decades, most memorably lifting the top accolade in English Football, the FA Cup, in 1937 and 1973.
Also known as the Black Cats, Sunderland play their home matches at the 49,000 capacity Stadium of Light, moving from their former home of Roker Park in 1997.
In 2010-11 the club finished in the top ten of the Barclays Premier League and subsequently made 11 additions to its playing squad in the summer of 2011 - including Wes Brown and John O’Shea from Manchester United, Swedish international Sebastian Larsson, South Korean striker Ji Dong Won and England U21 rising star Connor Wickham.
SUNDERLAND AFC & DIGICEL
Sunderland AFC has partnered with Digicel in the hugely successful Kick Start Clinics since 2008, welcoming youngsters from the project to its training headquarters as well as sending senior coaching staff to the Caribbean to lead clinics.
Steve Bruce said: “Sunderland is proud to be associated with such a successful project and we are delighted that we can continue to share our club’s expertise and help to give youngsters across the Caribbean and Central America the opportunity to achieve their football dreams.”
ABOUT DIGICEL GROUP
After ten years of operation, Digicel Group Limited has 11.5 million customers across its 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.
Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Cup. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.
Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.
In 2004, Digicel developed Digicel Rising Stars – an annual talent show to support aspiring young music artists in the Caribbean. The show has spanned the Eastern Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago ranking as one of the top-rated shows.
Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and its markets comprise: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Nauru, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. Digicel also has coverage in St. Martin and St. Barts in the Caribbean.
Visit www.digicelgroup.com for more information.
