KUALA LUMPUR: An international football academy with a curriculum and training that produced star players such as Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, James Ward Prowse and Sadio Mane has been made available at the Highlands International Boarding School (HIBS) in Genting Highlands.
Known as the ICMS Elite Football Academy, it would be offered by the International College of Management and Sports (ICMS), giving aspiring footballers the unique opportunity to excel in both their athletic pursuits and academic education.
ICMS Titan Football Academy president Datuk Nathan Mahalingam told Bernama today that the high-performance football programme with its holistic approach ensures students get comprehensive football training while receiving a top-tier education,
The good news, he said, was that ICMS Elite Football Academy catered to both male and female students aged 12-17 years with a passion for football and seeking a high-performance training programme.
The academy would target students from Malaysia and other countries looking for a comprehensive football and academic development experience, he added.
ICMS is the first and only private educational institution in South East Asia that offers a Diploma in Football Studies, a programme developed in collaboration with the University of Bedfordshire in the UK.
ICMS Elite Football Academy at HIBS was officially launched on May 29, 2023, in conjunction with the National Football Development Programme’s (NFDP) series 2023 Football competition held at HIBS’ football facility at Genting Highlands.
The ICMS Elite Football Academy, combines the expertise of the newly re-branded ICMS Titans Football Club with the academic excellence of HIBS, creating a world-class environment for student-athletes to thrive, he said.
ICMS, formerly known as Cyberlynx International College, is also the international affiliate partner of Southampton Football Club’s academy in Malaysia.
In the process, it has adopted the proven and successful philosophy and training methodology of the world-famous academy which produced great players such as England’s Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, James Ward Prowse and former Liverpool star from Senegal, Sadio Mane, just to name a few.
Nathan said that students at HIBS would have access to training camps conducted by Southampton’s coaches at HIBS and at Southampton in England.
“Our goal is to nurture young talent, instil the values of discipline and teamwork, and provide students with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed both on and off the field; at an amazing venue and facility with good cool weather all year round,” he said.
Among the features of the academy include elite football training, international-standard education whereby the school offers the highly acclaimed IGSCE curriculum from the UK, right up to A-level, state-of-art-facilities including well-maintained football and futsal fields, and boarding accommodation.
To mark the launch of the academy, ICMS Elite Football Academy will be hosting an Open Day on Saturday and Sunday (June 24 and 25, 2023) at Highlands International Boarding School.
“The first 50 students to join the ICMS Elite Football Academy will enjoy exclusive discounted tuition fees, allowing them to access our high-performance football training and exceptional academic education at a remarkable value,” he said. – BERNAMA
