FORMER Jersey FA men’s Island captain James Scott has launched an initiative geared at providing additional opportunities and experiences for the community through football.
JS Football consists of a six-initiative approach, spearheaded by the “JS Academy” aimed at talent identification and development.
Stars from U12/U13 and U14 levels will be invited by Scott to undertake a bespoke six to eight-week training programme, beginning next season, which will culminate in a trip to the UK to compete against a professional academy.
The ultimate goal is to provide a platform for up-and-coming football stars from Jersey to gain valuable insight into the life of an academy footballer and give them exposure to the next level.
For Scott, it marks the beginning of a fresh venture, one in which the Islander has committed himself to football full-time.
“Personally, it was a really big decision,” he said.
“I have been involved in football for a number of years now, both playing and in a coaching capacity, and I think it was the right time to dive into football 100%.
“I’ve been teaching for nearly 20 years and needed a little bit of a change.
“Football has given me so much over the years and I still have a massive passion for it.
“My ultimate goal is to create unforgettable experiences in the sport, which I was lucky enough to experience and give back to people in some capacity.
“There is so much great work going on locally to continue to develop talent, and we have seen that with more of our players entering top academies on the mainland.
“I just want to play my part in nurturing those players and hopefully inspire the next generation that follow to dive into the sport and give it their all.”
Scott is also keen on catering for all age groups in Jersey and aims to hold a number of tournaments locally from minis and juniors, all the way through to senior age groups.
“There is a lot of work that goes into kids football already, which is fantastic to see,” he added.
“But hopefully I can put a few things out there for the adults to get involved in and cater for all age ranges and abilities.
“I have put a 5-a-side tournament idea on my socials, in which the winner would take home £5,000.
“I don’t believe anything like that has happened in Jersey before and that’s generated a lot of local interest already, which is great to see.”
Scott also holds charity and community close to his heart and has secured the use of Haute Vallée’s 3G pitch on Friday evenings to help make his goal a reality.
He continued: “I’m really excited to be able to give back to the community.
“From 6–8pm on Fridays, we are welcoming schoolchildren to come along free of charge and have kick about.
“It’s really important that we give youngsters, especially teenagers, something healthy to do and keep them occupied.”
For more information on everything JS Football, you can visit www.jsfootball.je.
