Ballistic United and Sheffield Wednesday Announce Partnership

Ballistic United is very excited to announce our first professional partnership with Sheffield Wednesday, one of the most storied soccer clubs in England with over 100 years of rich soccer tradition. Sheffield Wednesday is a professional football (soccer) club located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are now competing in Championship League following promotion from League One at the end of the 2011-12 season. Sheffield Wednesday is one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and is the fifth oldest in the English league. Sheffield Wednesday was also one of the founding members of the English Premier League in 1992. Former US national team player John Harkes played for Sheffield Wednesday from 1990 to 1993.

As the technical director for the club for the past 3 years, I have been in search of the right partnership abroad to better enhance the soccer program we offer to players and their parents. As a club who values player development, coaching development, and is open to creating opportunities for teams to travel abroad, we found that the partnership with Sheffield Wednesday will enhance all of these values. Importantly, our partnership with Sheffield Wednesday will provide individual players the opportunity to reside and train with Sheffield Wednesday academy teams.

I have been fortunate enough to recently travel to such countries as Italy, Holland and England and while traveling, have been able to develop a relationship with some of the clubs in those countries. As some of you may know, last year the club started its "Ballistic Abroad" program. This program involves our U14 Premier team, with that team traveling abroad to England for a 10 day trip over the spring break holiday. Aside from training and playing games at Sheffield Wednesday, last year's team toured London, Manchester and Sheffield and watched professional soccer games involving Arsenal and Manchester City in London, Sheffield Wednesday in Sheffield, and Bury just outside Manchester. The team also took a group tour through Manchester United's stadium.

As part of the partnership program, Ballistic United and Sheffield Wednesday will create an annual identification program that will enable Ballistic players an opportunity to showcase themselves in front of Sheffield Wednesday's academy coaches. The first program is slated to the summer of 2013. Players identified through this program will have the opportunity to travel abroad and train alongside Sheffield Wednesday's academy teams.

As one of the top soccer clubs in Northern California, Ballistic United continues to create and develop opportunities and programs for players who strive to play at the highest level. As a member of our club, I hope you share our excitement and welcome this new partnership with Sheffield Wednesday! Please check our website frequently for updates news and events.

 

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Kevin Crow
Technical Director
Ballistic United Soccer Club