Academy hires full-time youth coach
Ben Pugh
(CNS Local Life): Academy Sports Club (ASC) has hired its first full-time professional coach, Ben Pugh, who will be overseeing all technical aspects of club’s youth football curriculum and providing ongoing training to other coaches. He is formerly a lead youth development phase coach at Ipswich Town FC and has more than 12 years experience in youth football coaching.
Pugh has a UEFA A coaching licence and he has completed his FA Advanced Youth Award, as well as served as a coach within a professional football environment for the past eight years, the club said in a press release. Pugh also has a bachelor of science degree from the University of Suffolk.
“I’m excited to come to the Cayman Islands and build on an already excellent platform for youth development,” said Pugh. “The energy and enthusiasm the youngsters have been showing is great. I’m looking forward to working with the other coaches to make a positive contribution to the club.”
In addition to overseeing the club’s youth programme, Pugh will coach teams from Academy’s U13 and U15 boys’ age groups, as well as the U13 girls’ team.
“Having Coach Ben join us at Academy is in keeping with our vision to continually develop our programme and enhance the skills of emerging footballers in the Cayman Islands,” said Paul Byles, Academy’s head of youth development, in the press release.
“He brings the qualities necessary to help us provide the most beneficial training to our boys and girls, while preparing them not only for play in local competitions but to assist some of them on their journey toward collegiate opportunities overseas,” Byles added.
Academy Sports Club’s motto is “The books and the ball, you have it all”, which, the release said, “encompasses what the club is all about, with equal attention paid to the academy success of its players as much as to the skills they display on the field”.
For more information about Academy’s youth programmes, call 925-5032 or email the club
