Pune: Pune-based and newly formed Aspire Football Club is proud to announce Indian Women’s League (IWL) champions Gokulam Kerala Football Club (GKFC) as its development partner for the 2022-23 season.
Aspire FC’s first assignment will be the Pune District Football Association (PDFA) Women’s League scheduled in the last week of May 2022.
Dr Ashok Kumar, CEO GKFC, said, “We at Gokulam support women’s football and encourage as much as we can as part of our philosophy of equality. When Aspire F.C reached out we realised through a series of talks that their focus was very much in-line with our own Academy, wherein players seek guidance, look at vision beyond, opportunities and inspiration.”
“As a young team, we felt Aspire F.C, whose average age is around 18 years, deserve the push and align with our philosophy which is purely development and hence in our own little way this partnership fructified. We have stitched together a bond and can say have kick started an association that will grow for sure.”
A major takeaway from the partnership is an opportunity for promising Aspire F.C players to train at the GKFC Academy down South. Similarly, a cross exchange of coaching ideologies and understand the hands down pathway to move on is another add on
In addition to the above, Aspire F.C will sport the GKFC logo, engage in brand cross promotion on each other’s social media platforms.
Srikant Iyer, Secretary Aspire F.C and Co-Founder Aspire India said, “The tie-up will help our players follow a pathway. That of graduating from youth to senior level football via the vehicle in the all-professional GKFC set-up. It’s a learning curve and how best to learn than from GKFC, who are undoubtedly the flag bearers of Indian women’s football in Asia. And to have them associated with us triggers encouragement. We thank GKFC for their wholehearted support in considering our request.”
“Women’s football in Pune has begun to take shape and hence we at Aspire F.C were looking for inspiration for us as a first-out. We reached out to GKFC and their response was phenomenal. In simple understanding the partnership to both in simple is GKFC inspires to Aspire.”
Aspire F.C, recently, had five of its players represent Pune District in the Under-17 District Girls Championship at Nashik, where Pune finished runners-up.
