Cadet UDJ Almeiras, champion of the tournament in Miami

He is a cadet UDJ Almeiras was declared the champion of the Doral West tournament in Miami. From last June 15 to 26, a group consisting of 16 children, between 14 and 15 years old and six adults, is living a unique experience that goes beyond just sports.

The Culleredo club is governed by a board of directors that took over seven years ago. Led by José Ignacio Alejo, the president, they never stop coming up with activities that change the normal course of the club. An opportunity arose between them to create something new. Aleja contacted businessman José Manuel Brandarizo, a native of Almeiras and president of Galician entrepreneurs in the American city.

With a proposal on the table that he could develop from across the pond, Brandariz did not hesitate to lend a hand to the club. Through the association he is the head of and together with Gallegos forever, they put Almeiras in touch with Doral West. The team, which also has a football academy, offered them the opportunity to attend a tournament they organized themselves. An agreement that eventually led to a cultural and sports exchange.

The board of directors of Almeiras went to work to try to get the funds to travel to the other side of the Atlantic. “Many companies and the City Council help us throughout the year. We paid for the ticket for this trip, and Gallegos Forever helped us with accommodation, meals and activities,” explains the president of the club from the American city.

Despite the heat and high humidity, the tournament went well for the Culleredo club. They earned a place in the grand final after winning all three knockout games played at Kendall Soccer Park. They played the last match for the championship against 305 FC Miami. After it finished 0-0, the Almeiras cadets won the penalty shootout to culminate the experience in style. “The tournament went well. For them, football is in Spain. His way of playing is much more physical, and it was a little difficult for us at the beginning due to the high humidity. The children arrived very tired”, explains Aleja.

But it wasn’t all sports. The association itself organized “dream activities” for them, as defined by José Ignacio Aleja. We visited companies that belong to the association, as well as a gallery of high-end cars, and the children practiced soccer on the sand, says the president of the club.

fraternity

In the desire of the club’s Board of Directors to continue with activities that go beyond the field, the idea is to maintain that relationship over the years. Namely, the visit will be again on July 3, when the Doral West cadet team lands in A Coruño. “We will try to organize a tournament with them and other teams from the Council”, explains Aleja. “Our idea is to maintain this relationship as a brotherhood between UDJ Almeiras and Doral West, because there are several things that unite us,” says the president. The first, his age. The current administration of the Cullerdense club has been at the helm for seven years, as long as the American team. In addition, both involve their relatives a lot in all their projects. “Our priority, like theirs, is family participation. We like parents to get involved in the activities,” he says.

The team includes Pablo Alonso, Nicolás Gestal, Cristian Menéndez, David Mosquera, Iago Bolaños, Hugo Martín, Brais Pedreira, Mateo Docampo, Hugo Bouzas, Martín Carballo, Daniel Castro, Marcos Vieites, Erick Daniel Morrillo, Aaron Fernández and Martín Concheiro.

Francisco Javier Villasuso was their coach, with Brais Rodríguez as goalkeeping coach, Sergio Alonso as assistant coach and Alfredo Iglesias Varela as sporting director.