Digging Out the Hidden Talents: Nation One Academy Kicks off Recruitment for Grassroots Footballers in Paynesville

By: Roland James

Paynesville City: A local football club, Nation One Academy, has kicked off search to expose hidden talents of youth under-15 grassroots footballers in Paynesville.

About 150 youth Under-15 grassroots footballers from three regions in Paynesville are currently justifying to showcase their talents with the Academy.

The justification process of Nation One Academy is in preparation for the upcoming Liberia Football Association Under-15 tournament.

According to the National Director of Nation One Academy, Milton Yoko, the process cuts across ELWA, 72nd, and Rehab communities and tends to select 20 best-performing under-15 grassroots footballers.

Yoko in conversation with K-News Sports on Thursday, May 7, 2024, said that there are key distinct abilities the Academy wants to see from the justification, naming the tackling of the ball, dribbles, accurate pass, and fitness among others.

The Nation One Academy National Director emphasized that bringing out the hidden talents of grassroots footballers in Liberia is essential to building a solid national team.

"We are doing our recruitment for Youth 15 right now as you see. There are lots of children coming here today, every time we come here we have a group and they justify. Those who do not come qualified, we tell them to come back the next time. We take certain groups and train them. The process is expected to last for two weeks", he told sports reporters.

The justification process which is held at several local sports pitches in Paynesville is currently tense as scores of grassroots footballers are using the platform to sell their talents on the national football market.

However, grassroots football around the World is regarded as the pathway to building future national teams, a situation that Liberia still struggles with in blinding her national team.