BY ADEBOBOLA ALAWODE
The Sporting Director of Bright Stars Football Academy, BSFA Satellite Town, Lagos State Franklin Ibojo has disclosed reasons the Academy is different from others scattered all over the country.
The well travelled grassroots soccer tactician stated this recently at the Academy’s home ground situated at the First Bank Sports Complex, Satellite Town, Lagos State.
Coach Ibojo noted that unlike other academies, BSFA is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC and the Lagos State Football Association, LSFA, as well as other relevant agencies required to run a football academy.
Speaking further, the system engineer cum security expert said the technical crew is made up of certified football coaches with the latest being Coach Sanni Muazu, who just bagged a coaching certificate from the Nigerian Institute for Sports, NIS, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos State.
Aside from the coaching crew, Coach Ibojo added that the training technique is scientifically based unlike others, who adopt manual style.
He boasted that his wards are exposed to the best of training equipment, which are comparable with the academies in Europe and other parts of the world.
Continuing, the coach stressed that pupils are not just admitted because of monetary gains but intending students must pass through some process before being offered admission.
In his words: “We don’t just admit for money, you can be a good football player but the first thing we do is to ensure that you come with your medical certificate because of unforseen circumstances, aside that every intending student must be able to combine football and academics, so if you can’t you will be expelled from BSFA because we at BSFA know there must be life after football.”
To Coach Ibojo, another edge that BSFA has over other academies is the insurance package that every student has because of any eventualities.
To ensure that his intending football players are not involved in age falsification, parents are to bring the original birth certificate of their children to be seen before they are offered admission into the academy.