Our Grade 10 student Kiran had the opportunity to train with the Girona Football Club in Spain earlier this year. Not only did he meet the professional players in person, he was mentored by one of the ex-players, took part in training with the U14 team and watched the last game of the La Liga season. We chat with him on his experience!
Hi Kiran, tell us about yourself.
Hi, my name is Kiran and I am in Grade 10. I have studied at GESS for 6 years now and my favourite subjects are PE and Languages. I have been playing on the school team for the last 3 years. I play football for Barça Academy and I train 6 times a week. I also enjoy playing badminton for fun with my uncle.
Your opportunity in May 2024 in Spain sounds so exciting. Tell us more – how did this come about, how long were you there, and what did you have to prepare before joining them?
My coach at Barça Academy saw potential in me and is good friends with one of the trainers at Girona FC so he told him about me. A few months later, they contacted us and gave me an opportunity to go and train with them for a week. Months before my departure to Girona, I received a document with a training plan, which included a sleep schedule, nutrition recommendations and exercise routines to be in the best shape to perform well. On top of training with Barça Academy, school, and my personal coach, Dave; I also followed the daily training recommended by Girona FC.
What does football mean to you – when and how did you get started on this passion? Where do you see yourself going in this field?
I started playing football at the age of 3. It started with me kicking the ball with my grandfather and that’s how the passion started. He was a big football fan. At the age of 5, I joined my first club when I lived in São Paulo, Brazil. I haven’t stopped playing since then and don’t intend to stop anytime soon. My goal is to become a professional football player.
You are in Grade 10 now. How is high school different from your past years? What are your main challenges in school, and how do you overcome them?
High school is definitely more challenging and demanding than middle school. The main challenge is to manage my time at home as I am always at football training. I am trying to maintain an effective study schedule and organise my time wisely. Ms O’connor, my Grade 7 homeroom teacher, gave me the best studying strategy – which is to take breaks every 20 minutes and do kick-ups with the football. This helps me to this day to stay on track with my studying and homework.
What kind of support has GESS given you, and what are some of the things you enjoy about school life at GESS?
My teachers last year were very accommodating and allowed me to reschedule my end of year assessments to be able to attend the week training in Girona. They supported me and understood that this was very important to me. One of the things I enjoy about school life is seeing my friends at school and having a laugh with them at lunch together.
Lastly, what would you say to other young people in GESS if they are thinking of becoming a footballer? What should they expect and consider?
I would say you have to be very disciplined, make lots of sacrifices and compromises to follow your dreams. For example, you might not be able to go to sleepovers if you have an early game on the weekend and go to bed early and eat well. I believe it is possible if you really put your mind to it!
