The Melita FC Youth Nursery introduced the new technical and official sponsors during a press conference which was held at Eurosport in Birkirkara.
Melita – the only amateur football club in Malta, last season won the quick-Keno Second & Third Division Knock-Out for the second year running and securing promotion to the First Division. The Under-19 team also had an excellent season winning the Section B league and hence gaining promotion to Section A.
95% of both the Senior and Under-19 teams are home-grown players, players that have grown, trained and remained with Melita over the years ever since their childhood days despite all the pressures they constantly have to face from the outside.
The ultimate goal and objective of the Melita Youth Nursery is to provide the senior squads of Melita with technically and physically prepared footballers. Melita presently have just under 400 children aged between 4 and 16 enrolled with their youth nursery. 38 dedicated licensed coaches all of whom on a volunteer basis, attend to these youngsters week in week out throughout the season.
In 2002, Melita embarked on their ambitious facility upgrade project with the installation of two 5-a-side/one 9-a-side turf pitch. Soon after this project was completed, plans were put into place to install artificial turf on the 11-a-side pitch. Late in 2007, this dream became a reality and this is now complemented with the Spinach Fitness Centre, the only family fully equipped gym catering for four year olds to adults, housed beneath part of the 11-a-side pitch. Melita can therefore proudly boast of having amongst one of the best facilities on the island.
This was made possible thanks to the support of the Good Causes Fund, Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport, the Malta Football Association, APS Bank and John G Cassar Ltd together with the support given to the club over the years by General Soft Drinks and Attard & Co.
Melita FC however did not stop here and plans to upgrade further their facilities are also underway. This next upgrade earmarks the spectators area and the bar facilities with the planned installation of a shelter from the rain, wind and cold which at Melita could be very tough and challenging at times.
The future looks bright. All the hard work put in by past and existing committee members over the years is now coming to fruition. Melita boys are regularly selected to play for their region within the MFA regions project. The Under-15s are so far leading the Section B league with an unbeaten run so far this season. The Under-17s play in the top flight of Maltese football with a mid-table standing. Furthermore, it also makes Melita FC proud that the club was the most represented in the squad of players called up for the recent Under-21 game against Slovenia with a total of 4 players from a selection of 18.
As of next season, Eurosport though its representation of the world renowned famous brand Adidas, will be Melita’s Technical sponsor which was made possible through the tremendous support of Mr. Peresso and his daughter Christina. Fabian Catania, Eurosport Brands manager, was also instrumental in the closure of this deal through his meticulous handling ensuring the very best package for Melita.
Both Melita coaching team and their young footballers will be training and playing in Adidas apparel, this quality clothing from Adidas is surely going to be an added benefit to the players and coaches.
Coinciding with this agreement, Melita have also secured a deal with Atlas Insurance as their kit sponsors also as from next season. The company’s strong involvement in corporate social responsibility is the main reason for which they chose to sponsor Melita FC YN. Its amateur status ensures that the investment in Melita is to go directly into benefits for the Melita kids!
Both the Eurosport and Atlas contracts will run parallel for four seasons.
Mr. David Borg Hedley, secretary to the youth nursery committee who addressed the press conference, also publicly thanked all coaches for their unrelenting dedication, the Melita boys for their enthusiasm, the parents for their continuous support and all those associations, companies and institutions for helping to make Melita what it is today.