The Far North community has been given an opportunity to help a talented young Kerikeri footballer travel to train at the world famous Valencia football academy next month.
Having just turned 14, Taine Lonsdale ended up being the only player from Northland to be named in the 20-strong squad of14 to 16-year-olds (made up of five girls and 15 boys) set to experience life as students the Valencia CF Foundation Academy for two weeks.
Lonsdale played goalkeeper for the North Force side which finished mid-table, in 6th place out of the 12 teams in the Auckland Football Federation (AFF) 13th Grade Conference championship last season. He was also selected for various National Training Centre camps used to identify potential players to represent New Zealand at upcoming youth world cups.
The Lonsdale family have managed to raise close to the $7000 needed for Taine to be part of the travelling squad but were hoping the wider community could come to the rescue and top up the fund, which will allow the local teenager to confirm his spot in the team and go on the trip of a lifetime.
The venture is being organised by the Auckland-based Soccer Plus NZ, a Christian football academy which ran a week-long trial to select the mixed team to travel to Spain during the last week of the summer holidays.
Soccer Plus NZ head honcho Kim Beale said the agenda for the upcoming trip to Valencia includes giving players the experience of treated as academy students for two weeks, during which time they will also play five games against various opposition teams.
The Kiwi teenagers will also get to watch the Valencia first team play a La Liga match at home (where they will be "sitting right behind the first team players") as well as meeting the players and getting a signed shirt from them.
Beale initially promoted the trial for the Spanish trip through the clubs involved in AFF age-grade competition. DespiteContinued - page 11
