Premier League and British Council to hold Premier Skills Showcase at the Soccerex African Forum

Soccerex has confirmed a new agreement with the Premier League and the British Council which will see the hosting of a Premier Skills showcase event alongside the Soccerex African Forum 2013 in Durban.

Premier Skills is a global partnership between the British Council and the Premier League which uses football as a tool to engage with and develop the skills of young people. One of its core aims is to improve the quality of local football by providing face-to-face training for grassroots coaches and referees, malady using highly skilled coach and referee trainers from the Premier League and its clubs.

Premier Skills has already delivered tremendous impact in 21 countries across Asia, order Africa and the Americas, including 12 in Africa. Since 2007 Premier Skills has created training opportunities benefitting 2,300 grassroots coaches and referees who in turn have reached more than 450,000 young people.

The showcase event will see more than twenty local amateur coaches from the Province of KwaZulu-Natal benefit from a three day programme of practical pitch and classroom-based activities, as well as attend some of the conference panels and keynote speeches at the Soccerex African Forum itself.

Commenting on the announcement of the Showcase, Tim Vine, Head of Public Affairs at the Premier League, said:

“We are very pleased to be involved in the Soccerex Africa Forum in Durban again, this time showcasing to delegates the positive impact Premier Skills is having across the continent.  Premier Skills is at the forefront of our international development strategy and it is in Africa, working in partnership with the British Council, National Governments and Football Associations, that it having the most widespread effect.

“Over these next three years we plan to take Premier Skills on a significant step in Africa, further developing it in existing countries and expanding it into new ones. The Soccerex Africa Forum provides us with the opportunity to not only promote the hugely positive impact the project can have, but to also engage with many of the key decision makers in Africa in one place.”

Soccerex CEO, Duncan Revie said:

“It is great to have the Premier League involved with our African Forum once again and we are delighted to be working with the British Council. The development of football in Africa is a key theme for the event and the inclusion of this Premier Skills showcase, alongside contributions from CAF and the South African Ministry of Sport, only strengthens this focus”.

The Premier League will also be outlining the objectives of the programme and the opportunities it brings as part of an African Forum Conference Programme which includes:

• ·         An official review of the 2013 AFCON tournament and preview of the upcoming 2014 CHAN competition by CAF Secretary General, Mr Hicham El Amrani and LOC CEO Mr Mvuso Mbebe.
• ·         A look at the important relationship between Sport and government in Africa featuring National Sports Ministers from Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Rwanda
• ·         The experts view on player development in Africa featuring Zambia National coach, Herve Renard and legendary Cameroon goalkeeper, Joseph Antoine-Bell.

For further information about the Soccerex Africa Forum call +44 (0)208 987 5522 or visit http://www.soccerex.com/africa