Boreham Wood FC are delighted to announce following the Club record fee we received when our very own Sorba Thomas made the switch to Championship side Huddersfield Town last month, that Chairman Danny Hunter has decided to ring fence some of that transfer fee to give back to the Academy in the next Academic year.
As such, the Club have agreed to make our PUMA training kit set available for all new Academy players completely free of charge for the 2021/22 season.
The Club had initially run this initiative for the current 2020/21 campaign to help with any of our students’ financial difficulties during the first wave of the pandemic. This was so well received by players, parents and guardians alike, but due to the financial implications that the COVID-19 pandemic had brought, it had looked very unlikely that the Club could afford to continue with this arrangement moving forward, but the situation changed somewhat when Sorba moved to Huddersfield Town and when he made his Championship debut last Saturday against Wycombe Wanderers.
So in light of Sorba Thomas’ Club record transfer to the Championship’s Huddersfield Town and the Chairman’s many years of Academy investment, the Club has collectively made the decision to set aside an allocation of funds that we’ll receive this summer, to continue to give back and help our new Academy students.
In what are both difficult and strange times for us all, we think it’s correct to ensure that our new scholars’ hopes and dreams aren’t put behind the affordability of some who might struggle to purchase our training kit. The Academy set will include 7 items in total, inclusive of a training jumper, training t-shirt, training shorts and socks, as well as a travel jacket, travel trousers and backpack, completely free of charge, which will all be fully branded with both Boreham Wood FC and PUMA’s logos.
This decision means the transfer of one of our greatest Academy graduates to come through the BW PASE structure will continue to have a positive influence on the Academy and amongst those newbies who try to follow in Sorba’s and others footsteps, not just next year but hopefully for many years to come…
Our Academy staff and coaches want to ensure our BW PASE Academy players don’t just play their part, but they look the part too, and upon setting aside this allocation of funds from Sorba’s transfer fee, it will enable the club to give back to the Academy in a proactive and positive manner.
Boreham Wood FC Chairman and BW PASE Academy founder Danny Hunter had this to say about the decision, “Sorba Thomas epitomises exactly what I had in mind when I first started the BW PASE Academy programme some 20 odd years ago. It’s an incredibly positive sporting programme, linked firstly to education where we consistently create second chances for all of our scholars, whether it’s in the football arena, in education or by simply creating bespoke working experience programmes… It’s then always down to the individual to take their opportunity.
“Youngsters never fail to surprise you if you give them a solid foundation, give them a proven structure and give them the time to thrive. I believe if you can create an environment they can trust and believe in, then the human elements and their ability are then allowed to take over and flourish.
“Sorba thank goodness, finally understood all of that, as it was only ever going to be his Attitude, Discipline and Desire that would get him his move, not an agent, because when he finally got it, his incredible ability took over and he, our structure and the life lessons we had patiently taught him during his time with the Academy did the rest.
“I hope his move to Huddersfield Town is just the beginning of his next journey, as the pride I feel in that boy is way beyond words and don’t be surprised if he is a Welsh international by the summer, he really is that good.” Hunter concluded.
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