Norfolkline Centres Of Excellence
STEVE LOMAS SAILS BY WITH NORFOLKLINE
FORMER Northern Ireland international Steve Lomas stepped onboard Norfolkline's Lagan Viking Vessel this week to help launch the second year of the Norfolkline IFA Excellence Centres.
The Norfolkline Excellence Centres help to nurture and develop the best of the province's young players. In the 2008/2009 season over 780 boys and girls from across Northern Ireland, aged between 11 and 15 attended the Norfolkline County Excellence Centres. Not only do the Excellence Centres help and support these young people with their footballing skills but also with their conditioning, diet and general lifestyle, but the Centres are also a vital strand of the Irish Football Association's Youth Strategy. 
At the launch Steve highlighted the importance of good coaching and guidance on the career of budding young footballers, and praised the Norfolkline Centres of Excellence for the work that they do. He said: "The early teenage years are very important for young players to develop both physically and emotionally. Many of our young players travel to England or Scotland to play at professional clubs when they leave school, however for various reasons some of them do not make it and return home.
"It is fantastic too that these issues are being addressed by the coaches at the Norfolkline Centres of Excellence so that more of our young talent can hopefully progress onto the next level. With the continued support from Norfolkline, the Centres of Excellence are providing great opportunities for the development and improvement of Northern Ireland's potential stars of the future."
Poul Woodall, Route Director of Norfolkline Irish Sea said: "Norfolkline are committed to this partnership and the development of the Excellence Centres. We enjoyed a successful first year working with the IFA and are looking forward to continuing to strengthen this relationship. We would like to thank Steve Lomas for attending the launch, his story and his commitment to coaching is an inspiration to the young players from the Excellence Centres."
Nigel Best, the Irish FA's Performance Manager added: "The Irish Football Association had the foresight to establish the Excellence Programme to identify and develop the best young talent in Northern Ireland, both boys and girls. The result will be a larger talent pool of players from which to select our international teams, as well as an improving standard of play in our domestic leagues. We are grateful to Norfolkline for coming 'on board' with us and sponsoring the Excellence Programme."
Raymond Kennedy, Irish FA President said: "I would like to thank Norfolkline for their support of the Excellence Centres, and also congratulate all of the coaches who have helped make this programme the success that it is today. As the Excellence Centres continue to flourish they will continue to have a positive effect throughout all levels of football in Northern Ireland."
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