Young goalkeepers from the city will get an opportunity to learn and improve their skills as Oranje SoccerSchool India in association with Footballnext Foundation has tied up with GoalPlay, the goalkeeping training academy founded by former German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, to train the kids in India.
Tim Walfhardt (centre), a German coach from GoalPlay, is flanked by Oranje SoccerSchool India, Directors, Shirin Agarwal (left) and Manav Agarwal during the meet and greet session.
For the first time in India, GoalPlay has sent their coach to select young Indian goalkeepers and put them under a UEFA-standard goalkeeping training in Germany through Train N’ Fight Challenge 2020, an event organized at Gold Sports ground, Andheri (West) this weekend.
Tim Walfhardt, a German coach from GoalPlay has been specially deputed by the academy to conduct ‘Train N’ Fight Challenge 2020’ and to shortlist talented young goalkeepers who would benefit from the coaching program.
“Like every player on the field, the goalkeeper’s role is considered to be very strenuous and it requires exceptional and a high level of concentration. We will focus of developing the fitness, skills and teaching the kids on the importance of remaining focused throughout the match,” Walfhardt said.
“The ‘Train N’ Fight Challenge will consist of specially formatted matches with an aim at assessing the goalkeeping skills of a player. Unlike the standard 11-team players, these matches will follow a 1-on-1 format, where one player will get to shoot a goal while the opposition will try to save. Based on the final tally, the player who saves the most will be declared as the winner,” explained Walfhardt
The scheduled event will showcase the matches categorized under four different age groups – 10 to under 12, 12 to under 14, 14 to under 16 and 16 to under 18. In each of these groups, 25 players will play out each other for the winning positions. Four winners from each group will get the chance to get trained by the GoalPlay coach in Germany in the goalkeeping training program crafted and mentored by Oliver Kahn.
Oranje SoccerSchool India and Football Next feel this one-of-a-kind maiden event will not only give young potent Indian goalkeepers a chance to get exposed to a globally acclaimed goalkeeping training style but also promote goalkeeping as an active role in contemporary football.