ORSA SPORT & Next Gen USA Form Youth Development Partnership

Partnership to Expand Soccer Education & Leadership Opportunities For Girls in Finland and USA

PEMBERTON, NJ, June 1, 2017– Orsa Sport Ltd. and Next Gen USA have established a multi-year player partnership to support the educational development of female youth soccer players in Next Gen USA and Orsa Sport’s player development programs.

Orsa Sport Ltd., which operates from its corporate headquarters in Helsinki, Finland, actively supports educational and athletic programming for children and families across Finland. Established in 2005, Orsa Sport operates grassroots soccer programs in various cities across Finland that identify talented players and support their interest in learning to play the game at the highest level. Through a network of corporate and community partners, Orsa Sport is the leader in youth development and benefits from strong working relationships with the Football Association of Finland, Eerikkila National Institute for Sport, and various amateur and professional soccer clubs throughout the country.  

“I am delighted about the exciting opportunities that this partnership will bring to promising young female soccer players in both USA and Finland," said Tony Williams, President of Next Gen USA. "Travel is a tremendous educator and we are very much looking forward to growing our relationship with Orsa Sport."

The partnership is focused on developing a mutually-beneficial player development platform for top-flight female soccer players in both countries, and to facilitate learning and leadership opportunities through cross-cultural and educational exchange programs. Next Gen USA will organize a National Select Squad Team comprised of female players born in 2002 and 2003 to travel to Finland in December to train at the Finnish National Training Center and compete against Finland’s youth national championship teams.

Further details about the National Select Squad Team and tour can be found HERE.

Effective June 1, Next Gen USA will become Orsa Sport’s official international youth development partner for soccer. Orsa Sport will occupy the same designation and help promote the identification, training and education of talented female soccer players in Finland, the United States and other countries where Next Gen USA trains and competes. Further, Next Gen USA’s International Development Festivals, which occur in more than 12 markets throughout the northeastern region of the country, will become official Orsa Sport-scouted events for the identification and recruitment of talented American female players for future placement in clubs and soccer organizations throughout Finland.

“We see our co-operation as a great opportunity for the most talented female players in Finland to have the chance to train with other talented girls from a different country and as well as under the command of Next Gen's professional coaches. I also like the idea extremely a lot that we can become more international here in so many levels," said Eeva-Maria Saari, Orsa Sports’ President. “This partnership opens a lot of doors to everyone involved in Orsa Academy.”

Orsa Sport’s Academies and Training Events for Finnish girls will also become official Next Gen USA-scouted events with the expressed goal of identifying talented Finnish female players for future placement in the Next Gen Leadership Academy as well as American colleges and universities throughout the United States.

ABOUT NEXT GEN USA

Next Gen USA invests in youth, families and communities through evidence-based learning strategies and systems that inspire, educate and empower youth to become leaders and positive role models in their communities. Through its own proprietary learning systems and curricula, Next Gen USA brings promising youth soccer players together in “best-with-best” environments that Integrate on-field training with off-field character development which provides multiple pathways for youth to develop as student-athletes, people and future captains of industry, government and service-related businesses. Visit www.nextgenusa.org to learn more about Next Gen USA’s mission, programs and partners.

ABOUT ORSA SPORT LTD.

Founded in 2005, Orsa Sport Ltd. has become one of the premier soccer education companies in Finland, uniting top youth players with world-class soccer coaches and educators through camps, clinics and specialized programs. Orsa Sport offers youth soccer players and their families personalized soccer training and coaching that prepares young people for success on and off the pitch. Recent Orsa Sport alumni include professional players Laura Kalmari, Anne Makinen, Markus Halsti, Riku Riski, Joona Toivio, and Sauli Vaisanen, among others. Visit www.orsasport.com for more information.

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