* As Accra screening commences

Hundreds of anxious youths on Wednesday stormed the Lizzy Sports Complex, in Accra with palpable excitement and determination as the screening of talents for the Glo Soccer Academy kicked off in Accra.

Coming on the heels of the successful screening of talents for the Academy, described as Africa's biggest soccer reality TV show, in Kumasi and Tamale, the Accra screening took off to a flying start as the players ranging from 14 to 17 years displayed their skills in a bid to impress the coaches and clear a major hurdle to the Academy House.

Academy officials said the Accra screening was proving tougher as a lot of teenagers who missed the train in their centres travelled to Accra to make their quest for fame a reality.

Coach Tony Baffoe is excited at the talents displayed by the teenagers on the first day of screening, adding that he believed the momentum would be sustained when more youths show up for the second day of screening at the same venue on Thursday..

Baffoe was exceptionally delighted that parents are making time off their busy schedules to accompany their wards to the venue of the screening.

Madam Comfort Boabeng, a sixty-five year old woman spotted among the spectators said she came with her grandson with the optimism that God would not let this opportunity pass them by. According to her, life has not been easy especially with the passing of her son, leaving the young lad in her care.

Madam Boabeng said she raised the registration fee of GHc30 with the help of some family members.

She urged Globacom to make the academy a yearly activity as it had the potential of transforming the livelihood of families.

Some of the parents who were interviewed said should their boys make it to the Academy, they would willingly write to their schools to ask for a deferment while others said there would not be any problem with that at all because it would be a dream come true.

The Academy is designed to scout through Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Republic in order to screen thousands of promising youngsters out of which 33 talented finalists will be shortlisted for the Dream Team and camped in a soccer academy in Lagos where they will be trained by celebrity coaches from West Africa and Manchester United for five weeks.

The sixteen finalists who make the Dream Team will go on training tour of Manchester United Soccer School in the UK and also become Glo Ambassadors.

The Glo Soccer Academy is opened to boys between the ages of 14 and 17 years. To register each candidate should load GHc30 Glo airtime on their phones and text their name, age and preferred screening location to 3836.

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