Kaya aims for success in UFL’s new Youth League
It's late afternoon on a Monday, and Chris Greatwich is at Emperador Stadium. That in and of itself is not unusual, since he captains Kaya FC in the UFL first division.
But Chris isn't wearing Kaya's red jersey, instead he is donning a black Kaya t-shirt, and instead of cleats, he wears sports shoes and is holding a pen.
The Azkal gazes out to the Empy's immaculate artificial grass surface, where kids of all ages are battling furiously in small-sided games.
This is the milieu of Chris Greatwich, Kaya Academy director, who oversees the development of dozens young Kaya players.
On April 15 the fruits of his efforts will be tested when the UFL's Youth League is launched.
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“The plan is to have a more standardized and formalized youth structure in the philippines, to give young kids a platform to play in a competitive level” he says of the fledgling league.
“The aim is to have a youth system that replicates the youth systems that you have all over the world.”
From April 15 until June the UFL will hold competitions in six age levels, Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19. The teams will come from UFL Clubs like Nomads, Kaya, Green Archers, Socceroo, and others.
Other UFL clubs who don't have youth programs are set to tie-up with Football schools, while Loyola Meralco Sparks and Green Archers United Globe are reportedly involving squads from Ateneo and DLSU respectively.
Games will be in Emperador, Turf BGC, DLS-Z, and Nomads. “These kids will play in professional stadiums. In other parts of the world thats pretty much unheard of” remarks Greatwich.
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Only the U9s (7v7) and U11s (9v9) will play small sided games in smaller fields. U13 and up get the real deal, 11-a-side matches on full-sized fields. Girls will play with the boys in the younger levels.
The format will likely be double-round robin with playoffs, although each level will have different numbers of teams so formats will likely differ as well for each age group.
Green Archers United Globe will even field two squads in the U9s and U11s. Kaya will enter every division. They were originally going to beg off from U19 but will now field a team.
Greatwich hopes that the Youth League will change the landscape of pro Football and the national team in the coming years.
“Kids will now have an opportunity to play competitive football. The more kids play, the more they will come to the UFL and watch national team. The more kids playing, the bigger pool we can pull from, and we can have a greater number of homegrown footballers.”
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Greatwich was one of the first overseas-born Filipinos to burst into the National Team in 2004, but he says something remarkable nonetheless.
“You don't want all Fil-foreigners playing on our national team.”
In the last tournament the Azkals played in, only two players, Chieffy Caligdong and Ed Sacapaño, were born and raised in the country. Neither of them actually played. Greatwich obviously hopes that will change.
“There's no excuse why eight, ten, twelve, years from now kids here won't be able to compete with foreign-based players. We have the facilities now. We have the coaches.”
Kaya is one example of a pro team that has kids rising through the ranks. Right now several Kaya players are products of the Kaya youth system, like Jiggs Cruz and goalkeeper Russell Pierson. Greatwich says even Anton Del Rosario and Aly Borromeo, both capped many times for the Philippines, honed their craft with Kaya youth teams.
Kaya Elite, their youth squad, recently won the title in the Weekend Futbol League's youth division.
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Greatwich knows the drill because he has been through it. The 29-year old midfielder was in Brighton and Hove Albion's academy throughout his teens before he played Division 1 Soccer in the states at Hartwick College. Brighton are in The Championship, England's second tier.
Greatwich has experience as a youth coach in the United States as well, at the Sone Soccer Academy, then as head coach of the Morris County Colonials of the NPSL, three tiers below Major League Soccer, America's top flight, where he amassed an impressive 8-2-2 record.
Surprisingly, his experience in America has been a big help.
“In the states its more structured. In England everyone plays but in the street or in parks. In the USA you don't have that. Youth players are really playing games in a structured environment.”
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As Academy director, Greatwich won't be doing any coaching, he leaves that to his fellow team mates like Jonah Romero and Nate Burkey. But he does want to replicate his academy experience from Brighton and Hove Albion “with a modern twist.”
“The game has evolved. Now players are more technical, more comfortable on the ball. In England it used to be more about physicality and speed, now not so much.”
Greatwich believes that Pinoy kids have what it takes to succeed.
“Pinoys are hardworking, good listeners, and can use their quickness to their advantage. If they hone technical skills and tactical understanding, they can become good Footballers.”
The first step will happen two Mondays from today, when Greatwich's kids take to the field. Then by June, Greatwich can see if his hard work will pay off.
The midfielder has his hands full as a player and an academy director.
“It's killing me” he says of his juggling the two roles. “But I love it.”
Follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333.
