It's been another busy year at LFC International Academy, here is a round-up of what 2024 brought.

January

USC Convention in Anaheim

We kicked the year off in California as we hosted technical sessions to coincide with the United Soccer Coaches Convention that was taking place in Anaheim. Program Manager Steven Gillespie delivered on-pitch demonstrations, providing some additional coach education for representatives of LFC International Academies in North America.

February

Train the Trainer initiative continues

As part of on-going initiative with Standard Chartered, senior LFC IA coaching staff delivered virtual coach education to coaches in South Africa as part of the Train The Trainer program.

March

LFC IA Coach Convention

We once again hosted our annual five-day Coach Convention in Liverpool. The event took place across several LFC venues, including Anfield Stadium, AXA Melwood Training Centre, the Academy and AXA Training Centre.

Senior coaches and coach educators from across all of our LFC International Academies were in attendance, observing LFC Women and Academy training, delivering their own sessions, and also enjoying lunch alongside a nutrition session at AXA Training Centre.

In addition, there were guest speakers throughout the week who delivered inspirational and engaging workshops, including brilliant sessions with Reds heroes Gary McAllister and Sammy Lee, as well as Becky Easton who spoke about her long and successful playing career.

Legend Phil Thompson headed up our evening Convention Social event, answering questions from our guests and reminiscing about his playing days.

April

April saw us run our annual coach recruitment drive in the UK, onboarding a team of coaches to join us in delivering the Liverpool way coaching program around the world. In addition, further coach education was also delivered to our existing base of coaches as we started to gear up for the busy spring and summer seasons.

May

LFC International Academies Launched in North and South Carolina

We were excited to announce a new long-term agreements in May which would see LFC International Academy arrive in North and South Carolina, as well as in Colorado and Louisiana. Short courses and year-round programs will be available in all four states, further growing the LFC IA footprint in North America.

‘Play On: Train the Trainer’ Program in Kenya with Standard Chartered

We teamed up with Standard Chartered and the LFC Foundation to provide 35 coaches in Nairobi with an engaging three-day program which helped to equip them with the skills to empower girls within the community to succeed through sport.

Staff travelled out with a handful of our LFC coaches and members of the Foundation to provide classroom and on-pitch education, including exploring topics and approaches such as, ‘barriers to participation’ and ‘empowering women in leadership’. Coaches also created their own sessions to take away with them and deliver in their own communities.

Soccer Schools – AXA Melwood Experience

A busy month continued as we delivered our first Soccer Schools of the year. 194 kids joined us for a special experience at AXA Melwood Training Centre, experiencing an afternoon training at our famous training ground, the home of LFC Womens team. Excited participants started their day with a stadium tour of Anfield, before an amazing Q&A with LFC legend John Barnes. After that, it was on to Melwood and an afternoon of coaching.

Soccer Schools – Anfield Experience

There was another special Soccer Schools experience later in the month also, as youngsters were welcomed in to Anfield for a memorable evening of training. Walking out to ’You’ll Never Walk Alone’, participants got to follow in the footsteps of their heroes and play on the hallowed turf.

June

International Academy Hosts Soccer Schools in Europe

Our annual short courses in Europe took place across the summer, including some great camps in Norway, were hosted in a number of different countries this year including some great camps in Finland, Sweden and Croatia.

July

LFC Tour to the USA offered unforgettable experience

While the Men’s First Team was on their pre-season tour in the USA, Mighty Red and Red’s hero Lucas Leiva went to visit our South Carolina players. The duo visited a summer camp on Columbia, South Carolina, along with the Carabao Cup, allowing players an amazing opportunity to meet with Lucas and Mighty Red, and have photos taken with the trophy.

Residential Camps return to Repton with a New Opening at Radley

This year we hosted six weeks of residential camps at our new venue at Radley, Oxfordshire, alongside six weeks at Repton School in Derbyshire.

Youngsters from around the world were coached by some of our most experienced LFC coaches with an all-inclusive LFC training schedule, not to mention a trip to Anfield!

August

Summer Soccer Schools

Over the course of six weeks, we hosted seven sold-out Soccer Schools at the Academy in Kirkby, with additional goalkeeper masterclasses also on the schedule.

Offering kids aged 5-14, to learn to play The Liverpool Way, there was plenty of excitement on every camp with lots of happy faces, excited to follow in the footsteps of their heroes.

September

LFC International Academy New Dubai UAE Academy

We were delighted to announce LFC International Academy’s arrival in Dubai during September, with tryouts and subsequent programs getting underway almost immediately at two venues in the city.

LFC International Academy First Thailand Academy

Additionally, we were also proud to announce the first LFC International Academy in Thailand. Based in Bangkok and operating out of two different venues, our arrival in Thailand was met with great excitement as players wasted no time in signing up for the program. Look out for a launch event in January.

October

Hong Kong and Australia Site Visits

Daniel Gavin, LFC IA Program Manager, travelled to Hong Kong and Australia at the end of October to visit our Academies. While he was there, he was able to see the amazing work that has been achieved by staff at both locations, deliver some further coach education, and meet some of the youngsters enrolled on the programs.

Autumn Soccer Schools

In October we hosted our final Soccer Schools of the year, hosting two-day short courses, welcoming kids back to the Academy and allowing them to experience learning to play The Liverpool Way. Mighty Red was also in attendance to add to the fun, while excited youngsters also left with a bag of LFC goodies!

November

Dubai, UAE Academy Launch event

Steven Gillespie, LFC IA Program Manager and Andrew Nicholas, Senior Coaching Manager, joined by Reds’ legend Vladimír Šmicer attended the LFC International Academy UAE launch event in Dubai.

The event offered taster sessions to potential new players as well as an opportunity to meet Vladimir and speak to coaches.

December

LFC IA Texas players visit for Team Tours

For our final Team Tour of the year, we welcomed a group of our Texas players for a week of training with our own LFC coaches and playing two games vs local teams. They finished off the week with an Anfield Stadium tour, capping off an experience they’ll never forget.

International Academy Team, Christmas Volunteering – Toy Packing

This year, the LFC IA team in Liverpool volunteered with Mission Christmas to ensure as many children as possible received a toy this festive season. The team helped the full-time volunteers restock the donation shelves before packing gifts together to be sent out throughout December.

Mission Christmas couldn’t have the huge impact and help as many children/families as they do with the number of volunteers giving up their time.