Liverpool Football Club Academy launch

The usual blue and yellow of Catherine McAuley College Bendigo turned to red for the launch of an exciting partnership with Liverpool Football Club on Thursday 19 October.

As part of the continued expansion of its International Academy program across Victoria, Liverpool FC International Academy will offer a co-curricular high-performance soccer school program commencing in 2024. In addition to the soccer program, the partnership with Liverpool FC will bring even more exciting opportunities to the community, as the College will serve as the host for a variety of Liverpool FC International Academy community training and holiday programs. These programs will be open to all aspiring players in the surrounding community, providing access to world-class coaching and training experiences.

The CMC Year 7 cohort was invited to witness the launch, along with representatives from Liverpool Football Club International Academy, special guests, alumni and a selection of senior students from St Mary’s. The formalities of the launch included a moving video that expressed the emotion, history and excitement of the Liverpool Football Club. A number of lucky students present won Liverpool jerseys, generously donated by the club.

In welcoming CMC to the Liverpool family, the Director of the LFC International Academy, Mr Kevin Kalinko drew attention to the shared values between Liverpool FC and the College. He said his organisation was proud to align with CMC to provide the best outcomes for students and to help them achieve their dreams. He explained the club’s four core values that run throughout everything they do: Ambition, Commitment, Dignity and Unity. The club is focused on nurturing talent, promoting the love of the game, and creating a vibrant soccer community.

CMC Principal, Mr Brian Turner said that he is thrilled to bring such a high-profile partnership to the College, noting that soccer is fast growing sport in Australia – almost two million people now play the game with many more following as spectators. He emphasised that partnerships such as this one allow the College to create more opportunities for students.

“We believe strategic partnerships support outstanding learning opportunities and provide access to even more resources for our students and the community. Our relationship with Liverpool FC will maximise the opportunities created by the wonderful facilities at the Mercy Junortoun Sporting Precinct, which is perfect for such a world-class organisation.”

He also noted that the Sisters of Mercy had a long association with Liverpool, having been drawn there in the early days of their ministry in response to the poverty and hardship of women and children in particular. Today, our College continues the tradition of striving to provide opportunities for children to achieve their best by providing access to education and recreational opportunities.

Sixteen students across the College were specially chosen to be the inaugural training group and ambassadors for the program. They took part in two training sessions, along with CMC teachers Mr Lee Coghlan and Mr Gerard Waterman under the supervision of Liverpool FC Academy Technical Director, Mr Kevin Grima.

Developing local coaches is another central component of LFC’s approach. Some of the CMC teachers will become accredited Liverpool coaches. The program uses the same coaching curriculum and techniques that are used with the club’s own young players at the Academy back in Liverpool.

Mr Waterman, Physical Education and Health Learning Leader at CMC said “We are incredibly excited to be partnering with Liverpool FC International Academy to deliver their programs within our Health and Physical Education curriculum. We look forward to developing the technical and tactical skills of our students, as well as an appreciation for participation and teamwork”.

The students thoroughly enjoyed their sessions, commenting afterwards that highlights included the fast-paced nature of the training and the high intensity, which is the Liverpool training trademark.

About Liverpool FC International Academy Australia

• Liverpool FC International Academy is the global youth coaching arm of LFC delivering the same coaching curriculum and techniques that are used with the club’s own young players at the Academy back in Liverpool.
• Our vision is to be the world leader in developing young people through football.
• Liverpool FC International Academy Australia is based at the Australian College of Physical Education in Sydney and is Australia’s only Liverpool FC Academy.
• By partnering with The Australian College of Physical Education, LFC has created an environment that combines the educational expertise and resources of Australia’s leading sports-specific private tertiary institution with the proven coaching methodology and philosophy of the world-famous Liverpool Football Club.
• We seek to partner with schools who share our belief that well-run, values-driven sports programs and extracurricular activities can support stronger education outcomes, helping the students of today become the leaders of tomorrow.
• For players in our program, it is our belief that long-term player development and players enjoying their football are at the core of our playing and coaching philosophy. We develop all players at LFC in the five key areas, with age and ability-appropriate programs.
• We want parents of our players to know that of equal importance with our authentic LFC football development methodology is a desire to make each player’s football journey an asset in their life journey, wherever that leads
• Across LFC, our four core values run throughout everything we do as a club; those values are Ambition, Commitment, Dignity and Unity.
• Those values are supported by the development of key life skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and resilience in an environment where participants are encouraged by tangible examples of values in action.
• At LFC International Academies worldwide, our coaches help young players understand those values and demonstrate them in everything they do, on and off the pitch.
• We place a strong focus on coaches and coach development employing the same holistic approach to ensure that our coaches are equipped to be inspiring role models and mentors.
• At LFC International Academies worldwide, our role models and mentors help young players understand our core values and demonstrate them in everything they do, on and off the pitch.

About Liverpool Football Club

• Founded in 1892, Liverpool FC is one of the world’s most historic and famous football clubs, having won 19 League Titles, including the Premier League, eight FA Cups, nine League Cups, six European Cups, three UEFA Cups, four European Super Cups and 16 Charity Shields.
• As a socially responsible Club, Liverpool FC is proud of its heritage and plays a proactive role in its communities through its official charity, Liverpool FC Foundation, which aims to create life-changing opportunities for children and young people in Merseyside and beyond, as well as the Red Neighbours programme, which creates events and experiences specifically aimed at improving the lives of those living in and around the Anfield area (L4, L5 and L6).
• Liverpool FC is a global brand and works with leading-edge commercial partners around the world providing unparalleled commercial opportunities.