Sparta Youth Academy
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| Full name | Sparta Rotterdam Youth Academy | ||
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| Founded | 1 April 1888 | ||
| Ground | Het Kasteel, Rotterdam | ||
| Capacity | 11,926 | ||
| Chairman |  Rob Westerhof | ||
| Manager | Dolf Roks | ||
| Website | www | ||
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The Sparta Youth Academy is a football youth academy based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from where the organization manages a total of 13 youth teams (ages 7–18). The academy is the primary youth clinic of Dutch football club Sparta Rotterdam, the oldest professional football club in the Netherlands.[1][2]
The Academy received the four star academic sports certification, the highest possible rating for sports academies in the Netherlands, having won the best National football academy award on several occasions.[3]
The Sparta youth system is famous for having produced and still producing many great Dutch internationals such as: Danny Blind, Danny Koevermans, David Mendes da Silva, Ed de Goey, Winston Bogarde, Henk Fräser, Jan van Beveren, Jetro Willems, John de Wolf, Kevin Strootman, Kew Jaliens, Luuk Balkestein, Pim Doesburg, and Nick Viergever.[4][5]
In 2011, Sparta Rotterdam expanded its educational partnerships by collaborating with Erasmus University Rotterdam to offer a degree program in Sports Marketing for academy players. In 2013, the academy received a four-star certification from the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).[6]
Since 2009, the academy has also worked with Zadkine College to provide vocational training programs in Sport & Exercise for its youth players.[7]
Notable former players
David Abdul
Luuk Balkestein- Jan van Beveren
Sendley Bito- Danny Blind
- Winston Bogarde
Rachid Bouaouzan- Nourdin Boukhari
- Memphis Depay
- Pim Doesburg
- Lerin Duarte
- Marvin Emnes
- Erik Falkenburg
- Henk Fräser
- Anwar El Ghazi
- Joey Godee
- Ed de Goey
- Kew Jaliens
- Danny Koevermans
- Mimoun Mahi
James Lawrence- Marten de Roon
- David Mendes da Silva
- Kevin Strootman
- Nick Viergever
Marvin Wijks- Georginio Wijnaldum
- Giliano Wijnaldum
- Jetro Willems
- John de Wolf
Teams
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Youth teams
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Education
In addition to training professional football players, the Sparta Youth Academy also offer other courses, such as a degree in Sports Marketing, in collaboration with the Erasmus University Rotterdam offered since 2011. A level 3 and level 4 International Business Study program in Sport & Exercise has been offered since 2009 in collaboration with Zadkine College. It is specifically for the players who start in the MBO (department sport and physical activity) and the players that follow a different vocational training in collaboration with a Zadkine customization.
Board and staff
Current staff
Chairman
- Rob Westerhof
Head coach
Technical Director (upper-level A–C)
- Pieter Schrassert Bert
Technical Director (mid-level A–C)
- Camiel van Hoogstraten
Technical Director (lower-level D–F)
- Jim Camphens