Travancore Royals Football Club (TRFC), India’s first fully fan-owned football club, has partnered with Cordova Schools in Trivandrum to establish a Residential Football Academy. This collaboration aims to nurture young football talent in the state by providing comprehensive training and education.
The formalization of this partnership occurred with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mr. Raju George, President of TRFC, and Mr. A. Anwar, General Secretary of KECT, the trust overseeing Cordova Schools. The signing ceremony was graced by notable figures including Mr. M.A. Hilal, Chairman of KECT; Mr. S. Sreekanth, General Secretary of TRFC; Dr. Abdul Samad, School Manager; and Mr. M. Abdul Kalam, Treasurer of KECT.
The Residential Football Academy is slated to commence operations in the 2025-26 academic year. It is designed to offer young athletes a balanced environment where they can pursue their academic and athletic aspirations. In addition to the residential program, the collaboration will introduce non-residential football coaching sessions for both boys and girls and after-school coaching programs. These initiatives will kick off with a summer camp scheduled for April 2025 to engage and develop young football enthusiasts in the region.
TRFC was established in 2018 and is known for its sustainable model of running the club primarily through membership fees. Because of this successful community-oriented model, a vibrant fan base actively participates in managing the club and making crucial decisions for it. The club’s objective from its inception has been to revive the popularity of football in the Travancore region and discover talents at a young age.
Cordova Schools, under the aegis of KECT, have been recognized for their commitment to holistic education. The partnership with TRFC aligns with the vision of the all-round development of the students.
A few months back when Athletic India interviewed Mr. Sreekanth, General Secretary of TRFC, he had told this interesting opinion. “When we played the state league matches, we realized that the academies with residential programs like Parappur FC, Kerala Blasters, Muthoot FA, etc. fare better. That is because the coaches can maintain the nutrition, and fitness and improve team bonding in residential academies. Also, the discipline of teenage players can be maintained by residential academies. Hence, we plan to materialize our residential academy as soon as possible.”
The creation of the Residential Football Academy is the next step in developing a career pathway for aspiring footballers in the state of Kerala. TRFC, with its experienced coaches in football and the educational infrastructure provided by Cordova Schools, will provide a nurturing atmosphere for the young champions to shine in sports and academics.
