SFA Nurtures Next Gen Coaches at the AIFF D-License Course
Sesa Football Academy (SFA) recently concluded the AIFF ‘D’ License course at its Sirsaim Campus.The six-day intensive program was carefully designed to equip aspiring coaches with the foundational knowledge and practical skills required to identify, nurture, and guide budding football talent at the grassroots level.The course saw the active participation of 24 candidates, including 5 female coaches and 3 outstation coaches, reflecting Inclusivity and national reach of the initiative.
Over the six days, participants underwent a rigorous schedule of structured training each day, combining classroom-based theoretical learning with on-field practical sessions. This was followed by stringent evaluation comprising practical examinations and theory assessment, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of grassroots coaching standards.
Conducted under the guidance of Mr. Gavin Araujo, Technical Director at SFA and a certified AFC Pro License Coach, the course focused on imparting age-appropriate coaching methodologies, technical and tactical basics, and leadership qualities essential for shaping young players. The emphasis was on developing not only coaching competence but also instilling the values of discipline, teamwork, and player-centric learning.
Sharing his experience of the course, Mr Aditya Salgaonkar said, “The AIFF D-License course hosted and conducted by Sesa Football Academy was an enriching experience, with a balance of theoretical and practical aspects. It has provided me a better understanding of football from a coach’s perspective.The structured approach, attention to detail and the mentorship received has made me more confident of my abilities in terms of guiding young players.”
Reflecting on the successful completion of the course, Mr. Gavin Araujo said, “The AIFF ‘D’ License is a vital stepping stone in the journey of any coach. We are thankful to Goa Football Association for the opportunity to run the course. It helps in laying the foundation for structured football coaching and create a strong base of trained professional coaches.”
This initiative comes close on the heels of the AIFF ‘B’ License course recently conducted at SFA’s campus, further establishing its credentials as a bustling hub of footballing excellence. By facilitating both entry-level and advanced courses, SFA is contributing to the creation of a robust coaching ecosystem in the country.
About Vedanta Cares
Vedanta is committed to reinvest in the social good of its neighbourhood communities and the nation. The Group’s flagship CSR project, Nand Ghar, is a network of model anganwadis where the thrust is on inclusive development of women and children at the grassroots level. The Group CSR initiative comprises of seven key verticals – Education, Healthcare, Water and Sanitation, Sustainable Livelihood, Skilling, Sports & Culture and Employee Volunteering. Vedanta Foundation, a philanthropic initiative of Vedanta Group is focused on skill development and vocational training programmes for the underprivileged to make them employable. A key healthcare speciality CSR project is the Balco Medical Center, a 200-bed state-of-the-art Cancer care hospital located in New Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The company supports grassroots level sports through their Football academies in Goa and Udaipur.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing to India’s growth story, currently contributing 1 percent of India’s GDP. The company is among the top private sector contributors to the exchequer with the highest ever contribution of INR 42,560 Crore in FY 2019. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment and on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company has been conferred the CII-ITC Sustainability Award, the FICCI CSR Award, Dun & Bradstreet Awards in Metals & Mining, and certified as a Great Place to Work. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
About SESA Football Academy
An initiative of SESA Community Development Foundation (SCDF), SESA Football Academy (SFA) was founded in 1999 for the holistic development of the local youths through football. The academy has created the conditions for discovering, creating and building talent for football. SFA does not restrict itself to football trainings but involves in a long term residential program which takes care of the formal education, skill development of the trainees during the four-year training period.
The academy has a strong focus on women empowerment through football. Since inception, SFA has trained around 200 footballers and has made tremendous impact on the football fraternity in Goa as well as across India. The graduates from SFA are serving in the national teams, Indian Super League (ISL), I-League clubs of India and clubs in Goa. 7 players have earned the national team cap and several players played the elite ISL.