Posted by Team, 17th April 2018
April 17th, 2018 – West Ham United have agreed to extend their long-term partnership with Global Image Sports Inc (GIS) which will see the continued promotion and development of the Club’s overseas programme in North America.
The Club and GIS will be looking to grow their brands and activity in the region, with GIS overseeing a large network of youth soccer clubs who form part of the Club’s North American Academy.
Having worked together for several years, the partnership has seen the extensive development of the North American Academy. There are now over 35 West Ham North American Academy youth soccer partners, comprising of tens of thousands of young players.
This news not only reaffirms the credibility of the programme, but cements what is a long-standing, strong partnership and recognizes the desire of both parties to create the best offering to the US youth soccer market in terms of coaching quality and player development.
West Ham United Academy Director Terry Westley commented: “The partnership with GIS enables us to incorporate our methodology directly into established youth soccer clubs in North America. We can provide a level of quality coaching and sports science that isn’t currently always available to these clubs, enabling us to work with players who understand our style of play and can benefit our presence and reputation worldwide.
“I recently had the chance to deliver a series of coaching education seminars to a group from North America and I was impressed with how much they wanted to learn and take back to their players. We expect very high standards at this Academy and the fact these Clubs take our values seriously is a testament to the high quality of this partnership and our intention to look at players from all over the world.”
GIS’ Co-Founder Jacqui Abrahart said: “As someone who has been a lifelong West Ham United fan and can still remember watching games as a young girl with my dad, we are delighted to be announcing this enhanced partnership as we see it being an important next stage in taking the Club from strength to strength inside the North American market.
“Terry and his team have done a fantastic job and we share the Club’s vision in wanting to make them one of the strongest and most reputable names in US Youth Soccer. We have seen in the past the success the West Ham United Academy has had and with England winning World Cups at multiple age groups recently, the level of coaching we can provide through this partnership truly is going to help these kids who love the game of soccer.”
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