Murugappa Group's MYFA and Dortmund Start With Football Training camp in Chennai

The AMM Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Indian business conglomerate, the Murugappa Group, and German football giants Borussia Dortmund (BVB) kicked off their partnership with a training camp in Chennai recently.

The four-day training camp was for the players and coaches of the Murugappa Group’s Murugappa Youth Football Academy (MYFA), a press release said.

In May, AMM Foundation announced its association with BVB as the latter’s Social Youth Development Partner in India, starting in July.

The two institutions have hit the ground running with a training camp for the MYFA players and coaches, with the endeavour of instilling a long-term system of communication, learning and development through football.

Christian Diercks, Head of BVB Evonik Football Academy, along with Verena Leidinger, Manager of International and New Business BVB APAC, and Jerome Kwang, Junior Manager of International & New Business BVB APAC, comprised the team from BVB for the training camp.

“Honestly, it feels like one big family doing what we love in trying to impact the lives of these youngsters in the best way possible. We’re delighted BVB shares our vision in putting people before products and profits, with community welfare taking priority over commercial success,” Veeru Murugappan, Head of Sport at AMM Foundation, was quoted as saying.

“Our kids and coaches have already benefitted a great deal and while there’s so much more we plan to do, we’re glad things are moving in the right direction,” Murugappan added.

The BVB team engaged the MYFA players and coaches in interesting drills and sessions that focussed on important aspects like on-pitch communication and coordination with an emphasis on getting the basics right, both on and off the ball.

The personnel conducted hands-on classroom sessions with the MYFA coaches, set to continue as periodic virtual sessions in the coming weeks and months of the partnership.

With consistent improvement and growth, while identifying budding talent among the MYFA ranks, there is also a distinct possibility in the near future for a team from MYFA to participate in BVB’s regional age-group and youth tournaments in Asia and around the world.