Adelaide Atletico Football Club to welcome South Australian first academy

The club's Inclusion Academy will give children and adults living with a disability and other limitations an opportunity to play the world game.

Children and adults living with a disability and other limitations will be welcomed with open arms at Adelaide Atletico Football Club’s Inclusion Academy.

Considered one of the first of its kind in South Australia, the academy provides a safe family environment for players who love the world game.

The journey towards forming the newly-created academy started in August 2019, after Football South Australia approached former Adelaide United player Marcos Flores.

Flores was then tasked to coach the South Australian Paralympic Football Team at the 2019 National Cerebral Palsy Football Championships at Valentine Sports Park, NSW.

Despite the on-field results not falling in their favour, the bonds the relationships built during the tournament paved the way for the inclusion academy to be formed.

Players from the state team then began training under Flores’ PTA Football Programs in early 2020, before the creation of the academy was announced late last year.

Creating an exciting new era of inclusive football in South Australia, the academy will cater for two age groups; 5-14 years old, and 15 years and above.

Inclusion Academy Co-coordinator Chris Okely said he was “humbled” to be in charge of the academy, and hopes it can make people fall in love with the game

“I am humbled to be running an amazing academy like this one - hopefully we will make people fall in love with the sport like I once did years ago,” Okely said.

Every person deserves to feel welcomed and have the ability to play the sport they love, regardless of their physical limitations.

“The game of football should be for everyone, no matter of their physical ability - they should have access to all of the benefits of the game,” Okely said.

Academy player Taylor Harvey said the newly-formed academy will allow players to not just improve as players, but as people as well.

“Being a part of Paralympic football for seven years has seen me form life-long friendships that I hold dear to me to this day,” Harvey said.

“Plenty of people with a disability find it hard to play able-bodied sport, and this academy will provide a level playing field for so many children and adults.

The club will be conducting three come and try sessions for the junior academy at Kensington Gardens Reserve (West Terrace, Kensington Gardens, SA, 5068).

These sessions will take place on February 20, February 27 and March 6 at 10:30am. People are encouraged to attend so they can experience what the club has to offer.

The PTA CP Football Team will soon merge into the inclusion academy, and welcomes new members who are over the age of 15 to train with the team.

These trainings will take place once a fortnight at Kensington Gardens Reserve, and will start on Saturday, January 16 at 11:30am.

Okely said he is excited to see players on the pitch in the coming weeks, and looks forward to seeing the academy grow in 2021.

Any questions and sponsorship enquiries can forwarded to: Contact@adelaideatleticofc.com