A group of youth soccer players from 7 Elite Academy in Africa has arrived in Salt Lake City for an educational, training and coaching tour with 7 Elite SABA 04 Boys.
The players, who train with 7 Elite Academy in Tanzania, will spend the next month taking part in training sessions and games, and visiting universities across Utah.
The trip is part of 7 Elite Academy’s global youth development program, which often sees players from the United Kingdom offered college scholarships in the USA.
The trio touched down in Salt Lake City this week and have already taken part in their first training session with the Under-18 squad at 7 Elite Academy’s indoor facility.
Reggie Wilson, President of 7 Elite Academy Tanzania, said: “Rodney, Jafet, and Samuel have worked so hard for this opportunity to experience soccer in an entirely different culture.
“They will spend a lot of time on the soccer field, with the SABA lads having a tough schedule to follow. This will include training sessions and games against local teams.
“But a key part of this trip is about making contacts in education. We will be taking the boys to universities in Utah, so they can pave the way for future scholarship opportunities.
“We also know they will be keen to sample the local culture in Utah, so we’ve lined up a full schedule of visits to local attractions and facilities. This is going to be a life-changing month for them. ”
Youngsters from 7 Elite academy in Utah also make the trip to Liverpool in the UK on a regular basis, taking part in coaching and education tours with Premier League academy teams.
The organisation offers extensive college application support in the USA, UK and Tanzania, with coaching visits to South Africa part of the program that players benefit from.
Wayne Scholes, Chairman of 7 Elite Academy, said: “It is exciting to see these players make the trip from Africa to the United States as part of their development program.
“Players get first-class training and education in Tanzania, and this is a further expansion of that support. The university visits will be especially useful in creating future opportunities.
“We have a network of high-quality soccer facilities on three continents. Our players have access to those facilities on a regular basis through our global youth development program.
“With support from UEFA, FA and USSF A-Licensed staff, we make sure players get the very best soccer coaching, alongside excellent education and personal development.”