Football is the most popular sport in the world, today. The love for this game is also picking up in the country in recent years with some taking it up as a full-time profession. And now with the Bhutan Football Federation starting the first-ever football academy school at Changjiji in Thimphu, the future of football in the country is expected to get better.
The country’s first football academy was inaugurated recently. Sixty young promising footballers selected from across the country will now study in this academy. They will be trained in playing professional football. They were selected by the Bhutan football federation for under 13, 16 and 17 national squads.
According to Biren Chimoria, the Head of the Administration at the BFF Academy, the academy was instituted to give equal time for both studies and training.
“In the past, our national players in various age categories had to be enrolled in different schools. Dividing the time between school and practice was quite difficult for the coaches to give ample time for them to undergo the technical training,” he said.
The academy will also follow the same curriculum approved by the education ministry. The classes are in full swing with eight teachers.
“For academic we have the academic staff, for technical we have technical coaches. So with this we are quite happy to have this academy in bhutan for the first time,” he added.
The expectations of the students are also high since they can now give equal importance to both studies and football.
“Having the academy here is very convinient. In the past, we have to go to other schools for studies and we couldn’t practice in the morning session,” said Kinley Gyeltshen, a student at the BFF Academy.
“Before we have to travel by bus to go to other school. Now we have the academy here, we can study and do coaching at the same time. So this will definitely improve our skills,” added Jetsun Dorji, also a student.
Meanwhile, to encourage women’s participation in sports, a similar kind of football academy school will be established in Gelephu, Sarpang soon.
Kelzang Thinley
Edited by Sonam
