Vermont Academy and LaLiga North America Announce Unique Educational and Soccer Immersion Partnership

LaLiga North America and Vermont Academy have signed a partnership agreement to launch Vermont Academy LaLiga, a unique academic and soccer immersion program in the USA for young student-athletes.  The partnership will provide high school students ages 14 to 19 the opportunity to train under the LaLiga soccer methodology with LaLiga’s top coaches. Participating student-athletes will compete at a high level year-round, while receiving a rigorous US college preparatory education with exposure to coaches at top US colleges and universities, enhancing their personal development, growth and future career opportunities. The program will launch in September 2022 for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The Vermont Academy LaLiga partnership is the first LaLiga soccer program outside Spain to offer a comprehensive college preparatory education combined with LaLiga’ s soccer development methodology. LaLiga currently operates nine permanent soccer academies around the world with locations in India, China, United Arab Emirates, the United States (2), Canada, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Madrid. These academies are part of LaLiga Grassroots, an initiative through which LaLiga has brought together its know-how, experience and projects that promote grassroots football globally. LaLiga is a pioneer among the major European leagues, having created a network of academies that focus on the development of international talent.

LaLiga Methodology focuses on all-around training and education, encompassing all areas of development of youth players: technical, tactical, and physical, as well as academic, personal, psychological, and emotional. It also emphasizes talent development and the individualization of the training process, considering each player's development process has different requirements. This holistic approach can make the difference in modern day soccer. Thus, at Vermont Academy LaLiga, student athletes will benefit from a soccer methodology established by one of the best professional leagues in the world, a dedicated team of elite coaches and resources to develop their athletic talent and potential, and year-round national and international soccer competition, participating in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference and Lakes Region during the fall as well as competing in tournaments and showcases throughout the academic year. All this while participating fully in Vermont Academy’s educational, extracurricular, community and personal growth opportunities.

Under terms of the Agreement, Eduardo Cartula Hidalgo, a certified UEFA Pro with extensive international experience will be the LaLiga Technical Director in residence year-round at Vermont Academy. Eduardo will direct the methodology of LaLiga at Vermont Academy and will join Vermont Academy’s soccer coaches Brian Gilloran and Adrian Diaz Guerrero in coaching and training student-athlete participants in the partnership program.

According to Dr. Jennifer Zaccara, Head of School at Vermont Academy, “Vermont Academy has always been a small school with a far reach. This wonderful and innovative soccer immersion opportunity with LaLiga provides a connection between VA and the rest of the world, with the most popular sport in the world at its center. We are thrilled to partner with LaLiga, a world class soccer organization that shares Vermont Academy’s commitment to global educational opportunity and excellence.”

“The agreement with Vermont Academy is in line with what we have been committed to for years: sports training and education as individuals combined in a holistic player development program. Vermont Academy has values that fit with LaLiga's philosophy: empathy, dedication or adaptability, amongst many others, and lays the foundations for further growth of soccer in the United States.”, says Nicolás García Hemme, VP of Strategy & Business Development of LaLiga North America.

Brian Gilloran, Assistant Head School for Student Life adds, “the Vermont Academy LaLiga program will offer unparalleled soccer development for our student athletes with access to resources from one of the best soccer leagues in the world and an opportunity for year-round training and competition.”

For more information about this partnership and Vermont Academy, please visit Vermont Academy’s website [www.vermontacademy.org] or LaLiga’s website [www.laligagrassroots.com]