Nike visits Cape Town to search for undiscovered football talent to join the Nike Academy and play for a pro contract in the UK

Following the launch of The Chance with Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal FC, in Soweto in June, Nike will activate its second trial event on Sunday, 22 August at the Tableview Football Club, Cape Town.

Following the first round of successful trials in Johannesburg last week, Nike will host trials for 150 aspiring Cape Town footballers providing them with the opportunity to shine. Clubs and academies in Cape Town were invited to select their best young players to represent the region. Just five places are up for grabs and the footballers who display the most skill and football prowess on the day will be given the opportunity to progress to the final Elite Training programme and trials in September.

Ahead of ‘The Chance’ trials taking place on Sunday, Nike will also host an Elite Training Programme on Saturday at Royal Road, Maitland as well as a coach-to-coach skills programme. This falls in line with Nike’s sustained commitment to youth development by educating coaches in order to ensure continued development in the future.

Football legends Shaun Bartlett and Eric Tinkler, who are both involved in the coaching of Nike’s Elite Training proramme, will facilitate the scouting, along with support from renowned local coaches and former professional players. Bartlett started his professional career in Cape Town in a successful spell with Cape Town Spurs before leaving South Africa to pursue his career abroad where he featured prominently for clubs in the United States, Switzerland and England.

“Although this is an international competition, The Chance is also helping us identify talent we should consider to fast track in our development structures”, said Shaun Bartlett.  “Programmes such as these being rolled out by Nike and our core team, demonstrates our commitment to unearthing talent to further boost football development in South Africa.”

Just under 300 footballers from Soweto and greater Johannesburg have already been presented with an opportunity to get scouted as they underwent trials in Johannesburg on Saturday 14 August at the Nike Football Training Centre and 11 footballers were short listed for the final Nike Elite Training Programme that will be held in September.

During the final Elite Training Programme and The Chance trials, only four footballers will be selected as part of the 100 players from around world for a final trial in England, where they will compete for one of eight international places in the Nike Academy.  These eight will have all their expenses paid to live in the UK for a year starting in July 2011 and be a full time member of the Nike Academy.

The Nike Academy is a high performance training programme supported by the Premier League in England.  Since the Academy’s start in 2009, eight players in the UK have received professional contracts.

As members of the Nike Academy, players become full-time participants at a residential training centre in England with access to elite coaches, nutritionists, psychologists and fitness conditioners, along with world class facilities to perform at the highest level.

FC Barcelona coach and former international player, Pep Guardiola joined NIKE Inc., the world’s largest football company, in a visit to the Football Training Center located in the heart of Soweto, South Africa to help inspire young footballers to fulfill their potential.

While at the Football Training Center, Guardiola joined young players at a training and Life Skills session providing encouragement and advice to improve their game and raise HIV / AIDS awareness.

The recently completed center will offer 20,000 young footballers per year the opportunity to develop their talent while also having access to HIV/AIDS education through football life skills programming.

“The Football Training Center is a terrific facility that provides young footballers of Soweto with an opportunity to realize their potential and also learn important life skills including HIV / AIDS prevention,” said Pep Guardiola. “Young players need access to quality facilities and coaching, clearly, the Football Center gives opportunity and hope to young players to achieve their goals in football and in life.”

The center is part of Nike’s commitment to the communities of South Africa, which dates back 15 years. It also follows Nike’s recent partnership with (RED)™ to leverage the power of sport to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa through the Lace Up, Save Lives campaign. When someone buys a pair of (NIKE)^RED laces, Nike contributes 100% of its profits to support programs that offer HIV / AIDS education and medication in Africa.

As part of his visit, Guardiola sent text messages of support to players and a motivational message to young footballers in South Africa via Nike’s ambitious Life Center LED installation. The Life Center is one of Johannesburg’s most iconic skyscrapers and the site of Nike’s ambitious installation. Reaching 30 stories or 138 meters into the sky, the building features an interactive LED screen almost half the size of a football pitch. Tying back to the Write the Future campaign, the Nike installation allows fans to submit personal messages to athletes—via Facebook.com/nikefootball.com, Twitter, Facebook, Mxit (South Africa) and QQ (China). Each night messages are selected and transformed into digital player animations that are projected on the screen for the entire city to see.

London, UK (November 30^th, 2009) – On the day before World Aids day some of the world’s best footballers joined Bono at announcement of partnership between NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) and (RED).

This unique partnership delivers a two-pronged approach to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa by delivering funds to support programs that offer education and medication on the ground, and will harness the power of sport to engage youth around the world in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

In making the partnership announcement, Mark Parker, President and CEO of Nike Inc., Susan Smith Ellis, CEO, (RED) and Professor Michel D. Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS , Tuberculosis and Malaria were joined by footballers from around the world and U2 vocalist and (RED) co-founder Bono, to emphasize the need for global action and participation to eliminate AIDS  in Africa.

“The fight against AIDS in Africa needs great brands to drive awareness and engagement,” said Susan Smith Ellis, CEO, (RED). “Nike is the right partner to connect education with sport, and in so doing help drive social change, prevention and understanding of HIV/AIDS.  We are thrilled to have them with us.”

Nike has a proven history of elevating global causes to create consumer awareness and participation. “As a global brand and creative company, Nike can play a role in amplifying this important issue,” said Mark Parker, President and CEO of Nike Inc. “With football as the catalyst, Nike is joining the (RED) movement to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.”

The Nike and (RED) concept is a simple one that invites people to “Lace Up. Save Lives” by purchasing a pair of NIKE (PRODUCT)^RED™ laces.  One hundred percent of the profits from (NIKE)^RED laces will be split equally between The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which funds AIDS programs that provide medicine for those living with HIV, and Nike football-based community initiatives that deliver education and understanding around HIV/AIDS prevention.  This unique partnership delivers programs that both medicate and educate.

Progress has been made in the drive to reduce HIV infections in Africa, with fourteen countries reporting a decline in the prevalence of the disease. This is great news and proves the fight can be won. But AIDS remains one of the greatest challenges facing the world today.  An estimated 3,800 men, women and children die in sub-Saharan Africa every day, in addition to 6,000 new infections every day among 15-24 year old men and women.

“The (RED) Nike laces can tie athletes around the world together with people living under threat from HIV in Africa in a beautiful way,” said Professor Michel D. Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Wearing these (RED) laces is a sign that you care about others – and it helps us to protect and treat millions of people who every day risk infection or struggle with the effects of HIV.”

“(RED) has created a sustainable way to engage business in funding the fight against AIDS in Africa on a grand scale. Its partnerships not only deliver funds to buy medicine to keep people alive but also provides the leverage needed for us to demonstrate to the public sector that this partnership works and to garner additional support,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister of Health of Ethiopia and Chairman of the Board of Directors, The Global Fund.  “The addition of Nike to the (RED) initiative will only strengthen this impact as it will help us take this message to millions of football fans around the world and engage them in this issue through their passion for sport.”

(NIKE)^RED laces will be available December 1^st at Nike Store locations and key retailers worldwide. In addition, (NIKE)^RED laces will be available at nike.com for purchase.   And additional (NIKE) ^RED products will be introduced in the coming months.

From a local point of view, Nike will be selling the laces in all Nike Concept Stores, and the Gallery on 4^th in Melville.

They will also have a number of athletes locally who will don the laces on field and showing their commitment to the campaign.

Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea),  Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal), Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan), Denilson (Arsenal), Lucas Neill (Everton), Clint Dempsey (Fulham) and Seol Ki-Hyeon (Fulham), came together in London today to announce a partnership between NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) and (RED).

Cameroon and Ivory Coast – Away, Egypt (A/H), Ghana (A), Morocco (A/H), Mozambique (A/H), Namibia (A/H), Senegal (A/H), Togo (A/H), Tunisia (A/H)

They have now released home and away kits for 11 of the countries participating in the African Cup of Nations in January 2010.

“In 2010, Africa will be the center of attention with the Orange African Cup of Nations Angola 2010™ in January leading up to the World Cup in South Africa. With a powerful portfolio of eleven PUMA-sponsored African national teams (Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Egypt, Tunisia, Namibia, Morocco, Angola, Senegal and Togo), PUMA is already the most visible football brand in the Continent. We have enjoyed more than a decade of close partnership and collaboration with African football federations. Africa has a great deal to offer the international football community; next year’s major tournaments will provide the perfect stage and PUMA is very proud to be a part of them.”
Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO, PUMA AG

PUMA have always been innovative football kit suppliers. Now they are delivering home and away kits for its 11 African teams, which again push the boundaries of technology and design. The jerseys are contoured to deliver a snug body fit that accentuates the players’ musculature. Constructed from moisture-wicking Power Mesh, the jerseys feature a proprietary engineered mesh panel across the back, which allows for maximum movement and breathability. A Kinte pattern, inspired by traditional African fabrics, was applied to this back panel.  Additionally, a unique brush-stroke effect, mimicking fans’ body paint, creates the decorative stripes on most of the away jerseys and the players’ names and numbers on the back.

PUMA’s African roster swells to 12 top-ranked African teams with the signing of the Algeria FA who will be part of the PUMA football portfolio from January 1^st 2010.

“The association with Algeria underpins PUMA’s commitment to African Football,” “Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes) have an impressive history on the pitch and are again poised to be a top contender at CAN 2010. We’re thrilled to welcome them to the PUMA family.”
Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO, PUMA AG

Ivory Coast, Ghana and Angola (home and away) kits.

Cameroon star Samuel Eto’o wearing their new kit and Puma V1.10 boots.

For more information visit: www.pumafootballpresskit.com.