Shams-Ul-Huda FA ushers dream, possibility in football

In just 14 years since its establishment, Shams-Ul-Huda Football Academy of Jashore has become an integral part of the country's football arena.
The academy began its journey on a small scale in 2011 with 30 young footballers from the district, aiming to bring back the lost glory of the country's domestic football.

The academy's campus, which is situated six kilometers east of Jashore town, has three international-standard fields, built on 65 'bighas' of land. Work is already underway to build a fourth field.

At the same location, there is a six-story multipurpose building of 60,000 square feet, which has all the modern facilities including accommodation, food and entertainment for 240 footballers at a time.

The very next year after its establishment, young footballers from different districts of Khulna division joined the academy. Currently, the academy has 150 players in three age categories-- 10 to 12, 13 to 14, and 15 to 17. A total of 60 footballers of them are living in the academy with residential facilities.

The academy has three more coaches working under a head coach. There are 14 officers and employees. With their tireless efforts, the institution has started achieving enviable success since its establishment.

In the past years, since its establishment, 16 players from Shams-Ul-Huda Football Academy have participated in senior national, Under-14, U-15, U-16, U-18, U-19 and U-23 age-level tournaments held in Qatar, Thailand, India, Nepal, Malaysia and Myanmar.

In the past few years, four academy players had the opportunity to participate in training camps held at Manchester United Club in England and in Brazil and Argentina. And 23 footballers from here have played and still repressing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for Abahani Limited Dhaka, Chittagong Abahani Limited, Brothers Union Club, Police Football Club, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra, Bashundhara Kings, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, BJMC, Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra, Rahmatganj Muslim and Friends Society and Arambagh Krira Sangha.

Due to the academy's modern facilities, spacious practice grounds, and peaceful rural environment, the U-19 national team camped here from April 17 to 29. A total of 40 members of the team participated in the practiced camp under coach Golam Robanni Choton. After that, they went to Arunachal Pradesh, India to play in the Under-19 SAFF Championship.

A four-month full-fledged camp for the U-17 national football team will also be held at the Shams-Ul-Huda Football Academy in Jashore as preparation for participating in an upcoming tournament in Korea.

How did a football academy in Jashore, built entirely on individual initiative and become an integral part of the country's football in such a short time?
In this regards, Maruf Hossain, head coach of Shams-Ul-Huda Football Academy, said prominent industrialist, vice president and chairman of the development committee of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Naser Shahriar Zahedi, dreamt to establish the academy. He is the founding chairman of this academy. Everything happened according to his plan.

The head coach said from the chairman to the ground men, everyone has made significant contributions behind the academy's continued success. With everyone's contributions, new feathers of success are being added to the academy's name every year.