JSC Soccer Academy is getting ready to conduct an open tournament for youth, inviting all nationalities, including Saudis, next month. This was announced at a press conference by JSC officials at a local restaurant here Tuesday. JSC, which has been conducting tournaments for Friendship Trophy for the last two years, decided to go for an open affair this year to test the skills of the wards at an international stage for further improvement. The tournament will be conducted simultaneously for Under-15 and Under-18 divisions at Dunk Stadium near Ikea Store on Tahlia Street in Jeddah. Applications are pouring in from Saudi, French, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia and Indian schools and also clubs in Jeddah. However, the organizers have decided to limit the entries to 8 teams each in two divisions. The five-week tournament will begin on April 1 and will close on April 29. All the matches will be held in the evening. The fixture releasing function is slated for March 27 and dignitaries, all team managers and captains are expected to attend the function. Trophies and other attractive prizes are at stake for the teams and spectators and the organizers are gunning to make it a student-youth festival. JSC is the first ever expatriate football training academy in Saudi Arabia. It is a voluntary organization with a vision to provide opportunities for young boys to unleash their physical talents, excel in the mainstream sports arena and develop a sound personality. JSC, which began the academy six years ago with just 20 kids and a former Kerala state and university player Abdul Rafeeque as coach, has now 120 trainees in the age groups of 6-9, 9-12, 12-14, 14-17 with 9 coaches to attend to the players. JSC officials T.P. Basheer, chairman; Jaffer Ahmed, president; Sadique Edakkad, vice chairman; Ismail Kallayi, tournament co-ordinator; Fayaz Ibrahim, tournament co-ordinator; and Zamir Kannur, secretary, spoke during the press conference.
