In May 2025, Constantinos Georgiades travelled to Portugal to participate in an Erasmus+ mobility hosted by Sporting Clube de Braga, one of the most respected football academies in Europe. This mobility was part of our Brain Centered Learning in Grassroots Football (BCL Grassroots) project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
Over an intense week in Braga, our volunteer coach experienced a structured and high-performance grassroots environment. The programme included:
- Daily coaching sessions with academy staff, observing and analysing how elite-level grassroots training is designed and delivered.
- Session evaluation discussions after each training, focusing on what worked well, what could be improved, and how to adapt drills to different age groups.
- Video analysis and feedback, exploring how technology is applied to track progress and enhance player development.
- Discussions with coaches and academy staff to exchange ideas on methodology, sports science integration, and the philosophy of long-term player development.
- Engagement in local sports culture, attending games, and interacting with young players in community settings.
- A strategic presentation with the technical director about the healthy development of athletes and the academy’s long-term vision.
The learning outcomes were rich and impactful. Constantinos strengthened his technical coaching knowledge, gained new skills in using video analysis and structured feedback, and deepened his understanding of coaching philosophies. He also gained insights for improving his leadership and mentoring abilities and expanded his international network of professional contacts.
Reflecting on the experience, he commented:
“I would like to thank SC Braga for the amazing hosting and the opportunity to join their facilities and work with their coaching staff. This mobility helped me grow as a coach and gave me tools I can share with my peers back home”.
This Erasmus+ mobility confirmed the value of bringing together our brain-centered learning methodology with the cutting-edge practices of Europe’s top academies. It reinforced our commitment to share these lessons not only within our own programmes, but also with other clubs, coaches, and children across Cyprus.
We thank Sporting Clube de Braga for their outstanding hospitality and the Erasmus+ programme for supporting such unique opportunities that enrich grassroots football and bring European values into our daily practice.