La Liga satisfied with progress at Royal Bafokeng Sports LA LIGA Academy

Penku was speaking at an exclusive media engagement at Multichoice City on Friday, where La Liga and Royal Bafokeng Sports gave an update on the academy’s development, its training methodology and progress on the partnership. 

In March this year, the two entities joined forces to advance youth football in Africa by combining La Liga’s world-class training methods with the Royal Bafokeng Nation’s commitment to community development. The initiative also supports the Royal Bafokeng Nation’s Vision 2035 through investment in sport. 

"We are grateful to be in a partnership with Royal Bafokeng Sports in this very long term project, and it's a fruit of long conversations about our shared values in football and investment into grassroot development. We are seeing how the young players are investing into the La Liga methodology and I think the youngsters are very much engaged, and now we are trying to structure their young careers so we can positively impact their future."

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Penku has also set out two indicators of what success would be measured on in the long term. He says the first step is to equip players at the academy with certain life skills through football.

Meanwhile, La Liga Senior Specialist in Sport Project Development, Jose Angel Garcia Ruiz, has shared his delight with the progress he has seen over the first six months of the project. 

He also shared how impressed he has been with the way the academy’s coaches have translated the La Liga methodology.

"So far I'm impressed and delighted about what we are seeing and achieving in the first six months of the project. I can see that we have improved the level of the players, not only in terms of performance but also the technical plan and how coaches are applying the La Liga methodology."

Ruiz says there is a national academy plan in Spain in which La Liga works alongside clubs and their academies to analyse and develop projects together. The knowledge and insights gained through this process help shape the La Liga methodology, which serves as the blueprint which is being implemented at the RBS La Liga Academy. 

Also in attendance was Eugene Thipe the Sports Manager at Royal Bafokeng Sports (RBS), who admitted that there were initial concerns that the project would be difficult due to language and cultural barriers. 

However, he says the Spanish contingent has adapted well while adding that the players at the academy have easily absorbed the education received from La Liga.