CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE MAIN SPONSOR:
COMMERCIAL FLEET SERVICES
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE SHIRT SPONSOR:
CROWN WHARF SHOPPING PARK
THE WALSALL FC Centre of Excellence continues to go from strength-to-strength.
It plays host to around 120 youngsters between the ages of eight and 16 of outstanding ability who are invited to come in to the Banks's Stadium on evenings throughout the week and take advantage of the excellent facilities that have been developed in recent years, including the state-of-the-art synthetic sports pitch that was officially opened in August 2001 at a cost of £250,000.
The revolutionary 'field turf' surface is used by top Premiership and European clubs. "The synthetic sports pitch has been an added bonus to our youth operation," said Head of Youth Mick Halsall. "It now enables us to play games at any time of the day or night and also helps to attract stronger opposition who want to play on the surface.
"The investment that the club made in the facilities demonstrates a commitment to improve and enhance the quality of our youth development programme. It is such a key area for clubs such as ours and over the past few years more and more boys are starting to make the transition from the Centre of Excellence into our Scholarship programme.
"We want to give our youngsters the best possible conditions in which to hone their skills and are constantly looking to formulate new ideas and practices."
THE SADDLERS have secured Centre of Excellence sponsorship from Commercial Fleet Services Ltd. and The Crown Wharf Shopping Park for the 2007/08 campaign.
Commercial Fleet Services Ltd. will continue in their role as main Centre of Excellence sponsor, whilst The Crown Wharf are the new shirt sponsors.
Commercial Fleet Services Ltd. have been DAF dealers in Birmingham for the past 11 years and do all classes of MOT, from motorbikes to mobile homes. "We have a strong affinity with Walsall FC and wanted to be able to put something back into the club," said Director, Phil Ryan. "Youth development is such an important area and we were only too happy to get involved by sponsoring the Centre of Excellence, which plays host to around 120 youngsters between the ages of eight and 16.
"It is our way of helping the local community and giving local youngsters the facilities and opportunities to follow their footballing dreams.
"We want to see the Centre of Excellence thrive and hopefully we can play our part in that."
The Crown Wharf Shopping Park employs around 400 local people and is situated in the centre of Walsall. Stores on the park include H&M, TKMaxx, Asda Living, Next, JD Sports, Mothercare and Peacocks. "The Saddlers have been at the heart of Walsall for 120 years and while The Crown Wharf Shopping Park is a relative newcomer by comparison, we do feel very much part of the community," said Ben Grose of British Land, property advisors of the Hercules Unit Trust who own The Crown Wharf. "We wanted to demonstrate this by getting involved with the football club - and specifically with youth development - so we're delighted to be the shirt sponsors of the Centre of Excellence."
Walsall FC Chief Executive, Roy Whalley added: "It is vitally important that we continue to develop our youngsters and these sponsorship deals with Commercial Fleet Services Ltd. and The Crown Wharf will go a long way to ensuring the future success of youth development at Walsall Football Club.
"Our challenge is to firstly attract good young players to the club and then to ensure that they are given every assistance to reach their potential."
Both deals will run for a year and we look forward to establishing a long and mutually beneficial relationship with both organisations.
A FORMAL working partnership was agreed between Walsall FC and prominent local junior club, Wyrley Juniors FC in March 2005.
Wyrley Juniors have been in operation for 23 years and boast no fewer than 22 boys teams and seven girls teams from Under-7s to open age, making them one of the largest clubs in the country. They have enjoyed plenty of playing success over the years in the Walsall Junior Youth League and are one of only 120 club nationally to hold the prestigious FA Community Club Charter. "We are delighted to have been identified by Walsall FC as a club with an excellent reputation not only for producing young players with ability but also for its organisational strength off-the-field," said Wyrley Juniors Chairman, Keith Hardy. "We already have nearly 20 ex-players with League clubs, including at least three with The Saddlers, and this partnership should ensure that these numbers grow rapidly.
"The fact that Wyrley boys could go on to play for Walsall will also set us apart from other clubs. Walsall FC have a fine reputation for looking after and improving the skills of players and we are delighted to have linked up with this well-run Football League club."
Saddlers' Chief Executive, Roy Whalley added: "We identified Wyrley Juniors as a club with an excellent playing strength and a track record in producing players of the ability we are looking for. They are a forward-looking club and we know that this partnership will bring benefits for both parties."
The agreement means that Walsall FC will:
- Allow the 50 FA-qualified coaches within Wyrley Juniors FC to view Walsall youth training sessions and thus increase their coaching knowledge;
- Give access to pitch care advice in readiness for Wyrley Juniors developing their own ground later this year;
- Provide coaches for regular Soccer School courses that Wyrley Juniors arrange;
- Provide a number of free match tickets to Wyrley Juniors players;
- Allow Wyrley Juniors players to be ball boys or girls at some of their home matches;
- Encourage a number of Saddlers players to attend Wyrley Juniors' presentation nights.
In return, Wyrley Juniors will highlight players of extraordinary ability to Walsall FC.
It is an exciting link for both clubs and we look forward to it bearing fruit in the years to come.
