Lismore Thistles launch youth player academy

Former Northern NSW Coach of the Year, Chris Layland, has joined the Lismore Thistles Soccer Club to help foster youth development through the Thistles Acceleration Program.

The program is selective, so players aged 9-12 trial to be selected in the elite squads.

There will be a total of four TAP teams: U/12 girls and boys squads and two mixed squads (for ages 9–11).

These squads will receive specialist coaching from Layland with the view to develop these players into future Premier League and representative players.

The former Liverpool Academy, now called Northern Rivers Football Academy, relocated to Lennox Head from Lismore after the floods.

‘With no player academy in Lismore since the floods, Lismore Thistles saw the need for our city to have a local option when it comes to developing youth players,’ Layland said.

‘As Lismore rebuilds, it’s important to give our local players a pathway into future representative and professional teams, so that they can dream and aspire to be the best they can be’.

As a coach, Layland has won the Football Australia U13 National Championships, coached at Brisbane Roar academy, run youth clinics for Sydney FC, won Football NSW State Titles as well as three consecutive Summer Youth League titles with Byron Bay FC.