BENGALURU FC
HIGH-PERFORMANCE CAMP
ALPHA MEDIA
17 JUL 19
FEATURE
About Bengaluru FC
Bengaluru Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The club competes in one of the top leagues of Indian football, the Indian Super League under license from All India Football Federation (AIFF). The club was established on 20th July 2013 and began their first competitive season in the
I-League a few months later on 22nd September 2013. Since their foundation, the club has won two I-League titles, including one in their debut season, two Federation Cup titles, one Indian Super League title and a Super Cup championship. They became the champions of the 2018–19 Indian Super League season defeating FC Goa in the final.
The club is owned and operated by the Mumbai–based JSW Group and its managing director Sajjan Jindal. Bengaluru have played every home match at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium since the beginning of the 2014–15 season. Despite only playing four seasons in the I-League, the club was considered one of the model clubs of Indian football. Bengaluru drew praise for bringing a new sense of professionalism to Indian football, including the use of on-field equipment meant to help player fitness.
High-Performance Camp
Alpha Football Academy had the fantastic opportunity to participate in the Bengaluru FC High-Performance Camp organized at the Inspire Institute of Sport. IIS is a cutting-edge environment founded to breed champions in India with an eye on the success and podium finishes at the Olympic Games. Located in Vijayanagar, Karnataka, the IIS has been stitched together with the state-of-the-art facilities and sports science and has some of the finest coaching minds from across the world to help athletes chase the Indian Olympic dreams.
Touchdown! Alpha U16 team and the coaches were welcomed with a light shower and cool breeze, which was very contrasting to the scorching mid-summer weather of Oman. We were then escorted by Mr Edwin Rahul (team manager) to the Inspire Institute of Sport, which was a few minutes away from the airport. The team quickly unpacked and settled into their dorms, followed by evening snacks. We had the rest of the day for ourselves to enjoy, tour the campus and soak up the energy. The institute is spread across 42 acres and is home to five Olympic disciplines – wrestling, boxing, judo, track and field and swimming. It has a world-class combat hall, athlete accommodation, clubhouse, cafeteria, learning centre, gymnasium, sports science lab, sports physiotherapy and recovery room consisting of ice bathtub and sauna.
Before lights out, the Alpha team was introduced to Mr Yesu Rajan and Mr Kaizad Ambapardiwalla who were our coaches for the High-Performance Camp. The coaches explained to us the strict schedule, timings, rules and norms of the institute to be respected and followed. The Alpha team was also presented with the Bengaluru FC home and away kits to be worn during the camp.
Bengaluru FC planned, organized and executed the camp to perfection. The Alpha team was scheduled for two on-field sessions every day, one in the morning and the other in the evening. There were regular AV sessions for leadership and team building. Facilities such as the gymnasium and ice bathtub were of an absolute pleasure to the team. Between the taxing and challenging schedule, the team was provided with healthy, nutrient-rich food three times a day and snacks.
Overall, this was an eye-opener as to how far Indian football has grown. We are thankful to Bengaluru FC for allowing us to experience such an excellent camp. The Alpha U16 team is undoubtedly going to cherish every moment of this trip.
Statements from Alpha Football Academy
QUICK FACTS
Clive Austin Danthi (DOB 19 NOV 03)
My experience at Bengaluru FC was an eye-opener. First of all, the chance to train with such a big club and experienced coaches was an opportunity I couldn't miss. The coaches made the drills fun and entertaining as well as informative. I learned new aspects surrounding professional football players life. I was also amazed by the quality of equipment and facilities at Inspire Institute of Sport. Apart from football training, I also learned how to live on my own and be more responsible. Altogether it was an enjoyable and informative trip.
Aaron D'Souza (DOB 01 NOV 04)
My experience during Bengaluru FC camp was terrific. I was very keen to see the facilities and the quarters at Inspire Institute of Sport, and it merely exceeded my expectations. Everything was well organized as discipline and punctuality was the fundamental principles to live by at the institute. Our meal plans, sessions on the field, workouts at the gym and my very first ice bath was incredibly fun and informative. Bengaluru FC coaches and staff were very kind and interactive, they kept the training enjoyable, and at the same time, it was tiring. The most memorable moments were the team building and leadership classes which allowed me to share my point of view and the time when I finished the circuit drill for which I had to push my limit. In our last session, we were told our pros and cons, which made us understand the level we got to hit to reach the standards. It was a fun trip, and I'm happy I got this opportunity.
Ayaan Khan (DOB 03 JAN 04)
When I got selected for Bengaluru FC camp, which was to be held at the Inspire Institute of Sport, I was overwhelmed since it was an excellent opportunity for me. The institute was a massive facility where people of different sports background came to train. We saw trainees from different states across India of various age groups. We used to have two training sessions in a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. They also provided us with Bengaluru FC jerseys which we were supposed to wear during the training sessions. After the morning sessions, we used to have AV sessions which provided us with tactical knowledge of the game. The food in the cafeteria was healthy with all the essential nutrients we required. We had strict timings for our breakfast, lunch and dinner. We even had a swimming pool recovery session which was beneficial. The institute has some of the finest coaching minds from across the world to help the athletes. The well-equipped gym also played an integral part, where we did our strength training with a trained instructor. The ice bath was a chilling experience which helped our muscle recovery tremendously. The entire experience was a holistic one which improved our overall personality. It enhanced our knowledge about the game, our playing techniques and inculcated a strong sense of discipline within us.
I want to thank Alpha Football Academy and my brilliant coaches who provided this opportunity and gave us excellent coaching and guidance.
07 JUL 19
START DATE
14 JUL 19
END DATE
14
PARTICIPANTS
ISL
DIVISION
