By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
March 18, 2024-A Clifton Park teenager who competes in the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) is currently in England training with Everton Football Club’s international academy until March 23.
13-year-old Ari George travelled to the Merseyside club along with his parents Marcus and Annie. Ari said before leaving, “I can’t wait to train with the International Academy coaches there and soak up everything they can teach me. It’s a great opportunity and I know I’m going to enjoy and just try to learn every second I’m there. The opportunity to go to Everton’s training ground and see how Premier League players and academy players train is just fantastic.”
Patrick Rabideau, who coaches Ari with the Boys-Under-14 Clifton Park Evolution, explained, “We’ve been part of Everton’s international affiliate program for two years now and it’s been an eye-opening opportunity for us to work with such a prestigious club in the English game and to learn from coaches who are training potential Premier League stars of the future, day-in and day-out.”
Coach Rabideau continued, “That access to the knowledge and coaching methodology that Everton has…has helped us to develop our own programs here at the Clifton Park Soccer Club, and this opportunity for one of our players to travel over is just another example of why this partnership is so beneficial to us as an organization.”
“We work really closely with Clifton Park to develop their academy program, to sharing best practices from our own academy but also through offering tailored support and training visits for both coaches and players to our training complex,” stated Patrick Byrne, Everton’s International Technical Manager. “We know from speaking to our other affiliate clubs across North America and beyond that these visits are really valuable in terms of strengthening our relationships with affiliates but also the learnings from seeing a Premier League environment up close.”
Byrne continued, “We look forward to welcoming Ari and his family to Finch Farm for a week with the hope that he will be inspired to keep working hard and keep loving his soccer.”
Ari is the first Clifton Park player to visit the 9-time English champions although Clifton Park coaches have gone before him as part of their affiliate program.
Ari will be back in Clifton Park to show what he learned at Everton when the Clifton Park Evolution play their second round State Cup match on April 6 against DV7 New York at Clifton Common.
With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/