Seventy-three new students joined a host of other upcoming athletes, coaches and staff as Aspire Academy began its academic year 2019-2020.

The new student-athletes comprise those who cleared the final selection process led by the Aspire Academy Talent Identification Programme Team and also others who enrolled through referral and recommendation to Aspire by various Qatari sports federations and associations.

Aspire Academy Director of Education and Student Affairs, Badr Al Hay, welcomed the students and had a word of advice for them. “It’s important to adapt quickly to the schedule at Aspire that is very different to the ones in other schools, because the days are long, and they have to balance school and training. We expect a lot of enthusiasm from our new students.”

Aspire Academy School Principal Jassem Al Jaber emphasised the need for focus and rigour from the new students. “Work hard, show commitment and determination to do your best, add discipline to your work ethic and make the most of the opportunities Aspire Academy has to offer. By doing this you will give yourself a chance to become one of the country’s future elite athletes and a well-rounded citizen,” he said.

Al Jaber said the process to acquaint the new students with Aspire’s programme had already begun. “We have started to introduce them to the schedule and system of the Academy with several different activities that help them to settle in quickly. They will be taken on a tour through the facilities to get to know their ways around the academy, they will do team building activities with the LDP (Leadership Development Programme), to break with their old routine and to get to know their new classmates.”

The principal said when the students were abroad on training camps, the academy would support them with e-learning or make-up classes when they return.

Badr Al Hay listed out some of the achievements of Aspire Academy alumni in the last year. Chief among them was Qatar winning the AFC Asian Cup 2019 football crown with a squad that comprised 70 per cent Aspire graduates and affiliates.

Badr Al Hay pointed out the sweep of individual player awards by Aspire Academy graduates at that event. Almoez Ali emerged top scorer and ‘Most Valuable Player’ while Saad Al Sheeb was named ‘Best Goalkeeper’ and Akram Afif the ‘Man of the Match in the final.

Other notable achievements by Aspire graduates included Abdullah Al Tamimi rising to 23 in the Squash World Ranking, Owaab Barrow claiming gold in the 110m hurdles at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Bassem Hemeida winning a silver medal in the 400m hurdles at the IAAF World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland.

Al Jaber said the second visit of CIS (Council of International Schools) was coming up in 2020 and Aspire sought to maintain its status as a CIS accredited school.