VietNamNet Bridge – The Vinamilk-Arsenal Soccer School held its grand opening over the weekend after more than one month of trial operations at Hoa Lu Stadium, 2 Dinh Tien Hoang Street in HCMC’s District 1.

Around 30% of the students are children of expatriates who come from such nations as England, Australia, France, the United States, Germany, Canada, Thailand, Singapore and Brazil, according to Strata, which manages the soccer school in HCMC.

The Vinamilk-Arsenal Soccer School recruits students of between three to 18 years old for its courses, which are conducted by Vietnamese coaches.

The school’s main objective is to help children and teenagers of all abilities develop their love of football as well as enable them to have fun from learning and playing football, and to be part of the game.

All the courses will be conducted based on the coaching modules developed by Arsenal Football Club. Arsenal coaching staff will come to Vietnam annually to assess and support local coaches and work with the students.

Paul Shipwright, head of Arsenal Soccer School, said at the grand opening ceremony that the school in Vietnam would help build close links between Arsenal Soccer School and the football community in this country.

Shipwright stressed that the Vinamilk-Arsenal Soccer School was opened to give boys and girls in Vietnam an opportunity to play football regardless of their abilities in order to help them learn and improve their football and social skills and their health, rather than to find players for the Arsenal Football Club in England.

Shipwright said Vietnam is the 32nd partner of Arsenal Soccer School and the 16th partner of the school outside England. He added that Arsenal Soccer School has helped to train nearly 40,000 players in each of the continents.

Tran Bao Minh, deputy general director of Vinamilk, said through the Vinamilk-Arsenal Soccer School the dairy company wants to help create a new healthy playing field for Vietnamese children as well as develop their mental and physical strength.

(Source: SGT)