SINGAPORE - More than 50 school children were given a preview of the football programmes offered by Valencia Soccer Schools on Monday. The programmes will launch next month.

The 90-minute coaching session based on techniques similar to those used by the Spanish Primera Liga's first-team coaches took place at Bedok Stadium, home of S-League outfit Geylang International. It was helmed by Gonzalo Sanz, an accredited and certified Valencia Soccer Schools coach from Spain now based in Singapore.

Sessions will also be held on Tuesday and Wednesday too.

"This is our first schools' initiative in Singapore, but it is based on work we have done very

successfully around the world," said Sanz. "It's a great way to meet the kids and show them the kind of things they would be doing if they enrol in one of our programmes.

"These are also aimed at developing the social skills applicable both on and off the field, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle, so it's important that we develop close relationship with the schools in Singapore, as we have done in other parts of the world."

Since signing its partnership agreement with Geylang International, Valencia Soccer Schools has been preparing for the launch of the football programmes which will be run exclusively in Singapore and the region for three years.

Starting with an initial 10-week course on July 23, Valencia Soccer Schools will run full programmes for both boys and girls aged between six and 17. Three-day camps and residential programmes will follow, and an all-girls programme as well as goalkeeping courses are in the pipeline too.

Youth enrolling in the programmes will be taught various sets of skills and knowledge, similar to home-grown Valencia players like Santi Mina, Alvaro Negredo, Paco Alcacer and Andre Gomes.