PETALING JAYA: Footballers of all ages in Ampang were provided with a significant boost with the restoration of the Ulu Klang Recreation Club’s (UKRC) pitch.
Following a 22-year struggle to regain the rights of the field from the Selangor government and a RM120k refurbishment, UKRC is now able to open the venue to the public.
Former national captain Safiq Rahim has seized the opportunity and decided to establish the fourth branch of his youth academy, SR8, at the club.
"It is centrally located in Kuala Lumpur, which makes it ideal for people staying around to join," said Safiq yesterday at the unveiling of the club’s International Soccer 9s tournament.
"They even have a smaller training field in addition to the normal sized pitch. This lends well to using it for the academy."
With over 170 youngsters – aged four to 12 – already enrolled in his academies in Elmina, Universiti Malaya, and Serdang, the 2010 Asean champion Safiq has plans to further expand with another branch in Putrajaya.
Meanwhile, veteran players will have the opportunity to take to the field from Sept 5-6 at the Soccer 9s tournament, which is in its 20th year.
Following past editions featuring participants from Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia, this year will witness the debut of a team from Thailand joining the local seniors.
"While everyone does want to win, here the focus is more on making friends and building relationships," said UKRC president Brendan Lee,
"We hope the new pitch can help attract more teams to join our community."
