Sesa Football Academy or SFA is a unit of Sesa Community Development Foundation, which is promoted by Sesa Goa Limited with the objective of service to the community in their operational areas.

Football being Goan’s and the world’s most popular game, was chosen by Sesa Community Development Foundation, with a view to spotting young talent in football, to nurture them with appropriate scientific and specific training, in a residential programme which not only produces skilled footballers possessing physical and mental strength but also helps in producing disciplined citizens while pursuing their studies.

SFA began functioning from June 1999 at Virdi, Sanquelim, Goa. All expenses including the academic studies taken care by the academy.

The course at SFA is a four year residential programme with systematic training. The programme for the juniors is aimed at youth in the age group of 14 to 16 years, while the programme for the seniors is for youth in the age groups of 16 -18 years.

Some salient features of the training are:

• Wide range of basic competitive techniques and tactics
• Key factors in defensive, midfield and attacking at set play
• Handling opponent with and without ball
• Training in technical, tactical and physical aspects
• Development training of mental / psychological aspects like:
  • Personal attribute
  • Courage and risk taking
  • Creativity, visualization
  • Holding together under pressure
  • Controlling your destiny
  • Analysis of training

Training

The training at SFA focuses on the following aspects of the overall personality, skill and attitude of the trainees.

In addition, the trainees are also imparted training on specific tactical skills, which are of utmost importance in their game and performance as footballers.

• Individual tactics: positioning in defense and attack
• Group tactics: combination play
• Team tactics: solid attack - defense building
• Match tactics: concepts in defense attack
• System of play: formation

Education

Formal education is given in local schools / colleges. The choice of education for formal education solely rests with the management of SFA. Besides tutor is arranged every day to guide the students in their studies.

Training at SFA is designed to ensure the overall rounded development of the trainees' personality, with equal emphasis laid on various aspects of education, physical fitness, nutrition, football training and time for leisure. To give an example, below is a typical day in the life of a trainee at SFA.

Regimen

Nutrition

A lot of attention is paid to nutrition and the diet of the trainees' is spread with an objective of ensuring 3500 to 4000 Kcal (approx) in the meals spread into breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner.

Sports Medicine

Similarly, a lot of attention is paid to the health of the trainees. Regular medical attention is provided by resident doctors. Focus is on ensuring appropriate physical fitness through contemporary sports medicine practices.

Physiological assessment

• Periodic Quarterly Assessment
• Complete blood profile
• Body composition - Analysis
• General fitness ( Strength, Endurance etc)
• Power - Flexibility - Sit and reach

Physiotherapy

• U.S. Therapy
• S.W. Diathermy
• Manual therapy
• Hydrotherapy etc.

In case of exigencies, medical / surgical facilities are also provided through Company’s associations with recognised hospitals in and outside Goa.

Vacation

In order to ensure that the trainees are provided with adequate recreation and time to recuperate, and also with a view that the trainees can spend time with their families, the curriculum includes a total vacation of about 7 weeks in a year. Besides this, trainees are allowed to visit and spend time with their parents / guardians for a night once in a month.

• Trainees are normally selected for admission to SFA on a basis of their performance in various tournaments / coaching camps and / or on the basis of open trials conducted after newspaper advertisement. The trainees would have to be at least 14 years and normally below 16 years as on 1st January of a year of admission.
• The trainees are inducted into SFA in accordance with an academic session of school/ colleges so that their education carrier is not disturbed. Generally selection of a trainees is done during January to March and selected trainees joined SFA in the month of May.
• Prior to joining SFA applicants are required to go through a thorough medical check up and selection is subject to their being found fit in the said check up.
• Parents / guardian of the trainees selected for admission into SFA will have to sign an “Agreement” depicting the rules and conditions set by the Academy and produce transfer certificate from schools.

The course of SFA is strictly residential.

Convocation

The successful 15 trainees graduate out of SFA every year. At the convocation ceremony held at their passing out, they are presented with certificates. Till now, the following four batches have passed out.

1st Batch, 2002: 10 trainees
2nd Batch, 2003: 15 trainees
3rd Batch, 2006: 15 trainees
4th Batch, 2008: 17 trainees, passed out in April 2008

Till now, SFA has produced the following professional footballers, who are now associated with various professional clubs, making a name for themsleves and their clubs.

• Micky Fernandes - International, Presently with Salgaocar S.C. - NFL
• Milagrio Medeira - International, presently with Salgaocar S. C. - NFL
• Bernardo Pires - Salgaocar S. C., East Bengal, presently with Churchill Bros S. C. - NFL
• Gerard D'mello - International, Sporting clube de Goa - NFL
• Anthony D'souza - Sporting Clube de Goa - NFL
• Lavino Fernandes - India U - 20
• Rowilson Rodrigues - International, Churchill Bros S.C. - NFL
• Tyson Caiado - Churchill Bros S. C. - NFL
• Denzil Franco - International, Salgaocar S.C., presently with Sporting Clube de Goa - NFL
• Godwin Franco - International, Churchill Bros S.C., presently with Sporting Clube de Goa - NFL
• Ashley Fernandes - Churchill Bros S.C. - NFL
• Steven Fernandes - International, Sporting Clube de Goa - NFL
• Raymond Marques-International, Sporting Clube de Goa- NFL
• Terence Lobo - International, Velsao Pale S.C.