I-League outfit Sporting Clube de Goa has adopted St. Xavier’s Institute High School, Curtorim, on Tuesday as part of their School Community Grassroots Programme.

The tie-up which includes the football development of U-14 and U-17 boys and girls teams was announced by the management of Sporting Goa at a special ceremony held at the School.

St Xaviers H/S, Curtorim had won the Sporting Clube de Goa U-12 youth league involving 24 teams in 2012, which brought the School under the scanner of the club’s scouts as a breeding ground for raw talent. This encouraged the management to forge greater ties with the School in their quest for success.

In the inaugural year of the SCG Academy, the Sporting Clube de Goa U-14 Team lifted the GFA U-14 All-Goa title, which brought sheer delight to the SCG President Peter Vaz. This led to the SCG All-Goa Academy trials, where the club received a huge response from talented Goan footballers stretching from Bicholim in the North to Canacona in the South.

In keeping with its motto of “GROWING GOA”S GAME”, Sporting Clube de Goa has now decided to launch the School Community Grassroots Programme, to reach out and engage further with the Goan populace through associate centers.

“In the past we have selected players from Curtorim who have excelled on the field, but have not done well in their studies. By tying up with the School at the Youth level we envisage the boys being able to do well in both studies and sports,” explained Sporting Goa manager Angelo Albuquerque.

Sporting Goa General Secretary Edward Noronha explained to the young players that the club has enjoyed a very successful season and hoped that they could become part of the clubs history. “It was an eventful year for the Flaming Oranje, where the senior team annexed the Goan Double by securing the Airtel Goa Pro League title along with the GFA Knock out Cup, besides finishing fifth in the I-League and runners up in the Federation Cup,” stated Edward.

The tie-up between Sporting Clube de Goa and St Xavier’s Institute High School will include providing kit and equipment, along with football clinics by SCG Coaches, star player visits, monitoring of School matches, and dietary advice for the parents of the wards.

After signing the Memorandum of Understanding, the St Xavier’s headmistress Melania Da Costa thanked the club for their generosity and urged her students to take full advantage of the gift bestowed on them.

Also present on the occasion was SCG Head of Youth development Mahesh Lotlikar, Former India International footballer Roberto Fernandes, chairman of the school management Arnaldo Costa, members of the School committee Maria Carma Rodrigues and Nevis Tellis, PTA chairperson Ujena Mascarenhas and Sarpanch Valentina Braganza. Atmanand Pednekar compeered the function, while Jackson Noronha proposed the vote of thanks.