Minerva Punjab FC is the powerhouse of football in North India having one of the largest and best residential football academies in the country and a thriving Youth Development Programme which is renowned all over the country. Minerva Academy Football Club was set up in 2010 with the aim of contributing local players to the Indian National Teams and giving local players a platform to shine. Minerva has been dedicated to the revival and promotion of football in and around theTricity area and Punjab. In fact, it is regarded by AIFF as the premier youth development academy in India for football which has contributed 27 players to the national teams over the last two years.
St. John’s boasts the biggest and best football grounds in the tri-city area and matched infrastructure for sports. The Minerva Coaching staff are a team of highly experienced and qualified and UEFA and AFC certified coaches who are specialists in youth and grassroots development programs who will operate and manage before and after-school football training programmes at St. John’s. Certified Coaches will teach kids the Minerva Way using european training methodology and technical expertise. The school program will be designed and monitored by Minerva Punjab FC Technical Director and Head of Youth Development. The training will be executed in line with the detailed and well planned Grassroots and Youth Development Curriculum of Minerva which has been developed after meticulous research and drawn from various successful training systems from all over the world customised for the Indian player and ecosystem.
Recently Minerva Punjab FC fielded Krishna Pandit a youngster who passed out from St. John’s High School a few years ago, in their senior I-League Side in their debut season. At just 18 years of age, Krishna Pandit became one of the most promising youngsters in the league after a spectacular Man of the Match winning performance against Mohun Bagan and scoring a goal against East Bengal. Krishna said “I am so happy that Minerva Punjab FC is taking over the football coaching in St. John’s as I understand the value of having the right guidance at the right time to help shape your career as a professional footballer.”
Within the first month, many students of St. John’s have signed up for the training. Out of the trainees, two St. John’s boys have already been invited to train with the Minerva Punjab FC U-13 and U-15 I-League team. Rishabh, one of the trainees who has just joined the programme said, “It is exciting to train under the Minerva coaches with new methodology and style. I have already stared noticing the improvement in my game. I cant wait for our next tournament to test out these newly acquired skills”
Ms. Kavita Das, Principal of the prestigious St. John’s High School said, “We believe in giving our students the best. With Minerva, we not only have the best but, better still, we have an alumnus of ours at the helm, who is giving back to his alma mater with the generosity of spirit that Johnians are famous for.”
