PANJIM: Dubai-based Pioneer Sports Academy (PSA) has tied up with Goa’s Vedanta Women’s Football League champions Sirvodem Sports Club in an attempt to take women’s football to the next level.
The team will now be re-named Sirvodem PSA Dubai Sports Club with the two entities all set to explore various options to ensure that women’s football benefits in the long run due to this tie-up and collaboration.
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Earlier this year, Sirvodem SC emerged champions of the fourth edition of the Vedanta Women’s League ahead of runners-up FC Goa and Futebol Club YFA. Rima Gadekar and Vinoshka further added further glitter to Sirvodem FC after being awarded with the ‘Golden Glove’ and ‘Most Promising Player’ prizes, respectively.
The Vedanta Women’s Football League is the first of its kind platform for aspiring women footballers in the State of Goa to pursue a professional career in the sport.
Launched in November 2020, PSA Dubai has a definite vision to promote Indian football in the UAE, while developing aspiring boys and girls and helping them create their football stories through well laid-out pathway programmes.
Set up as a non-profit organisation, PSA Dubai is an UAE-registered body that is the brain-child of Dubai-based Goans, namely Leonard Fernandes who is the CEO and former Indian national team defender, Franky Barreto, who is the Academy Director.
“Pioneer Sports Academy Dubai (PSA) is delighted to forge this unique partnership with Sirvodem Sports Club, Goa women’s team. Our vision is to train girls and boys from all age groups and provide them with an opportunity to represent Goan and Indian football teams,” Leonard Fernandes noted.
“We are also keen to recruit talented players to play for PSA in Dubai for various tournaments held in the UAE, while creating job opportunities for these players to integrate them into various careers that are available in UAE thus helping them to have enriching lives beyond football,” he added.
Former India international Franky Barreto, said: “Our aim is to support Indian football grow in whatever small way we can. The process of signing the agreement was very smooth as the owners of the Sirvodem Sports Club are former international footballers and teammates, namely Covan and Climax Lawrence, who understand football and share the same values and passion as we do, in developing football. The future plan is to have some exchange programmes, knowledge sharing and also providing opportunities to deserving Indian players from UAE to play in the Goa Pro League and IWL which, we believe, will inspire many more to take up football seriously in the UAE.
“This latest move will also help us in getting our footprint in Indian football, while taking a small step in our drive to achieve our bigger goal of promoting the beautiful sport.”
The PSA Dubai Under-18 boys’ team is currently participating in the open Indian Football League (IFL) held every Friday at Iranian Sports Club and in the Dubai Youth Football League.
Founded in 1978 by Herodiano Lourenco and Elvino Lourenco, Sirvodem Sports Club is registered with the Goa Football Association (GFA) with the main aim of producing footballers at the highest level.
In the past, the academy has done well producing State and National team players like Climax Lourenco, Covan Lourenco and Alvito D’Cunha.
The men’s senior team is currently playing in Third Division, while the club also boasts of Under-19 and Under-14 sides. The Sirvodem Sports Club Football Academy, headed by Covan Lourenco, caters to the footballing needs of players in the 8 to 12 years age category.
“This partnership with the Pioneer Sports Academy Dubai is one of the biggest things that has happened for our club as this has opened a clear pathway for our women players to train and play on foreign soil,” CEO Covan Lourenco, remarked.
“However, our current focus is on development of women’s football in Goa. Our women’s team has done us proud by winning the State Vedanta Women’s League in our very first year of participation,” he added.
Sirvodem SC have assembled a formidable team of officials including brothers Covan and Climax Lourenco as the CEOs, Leandro Sequeira as President, Charleston Lourenco as Vice President, while Cliffton Lourenco and Collin Lourenco serve as club secretary and treasurer.
