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Portsmouth FC academy get NavyFit
19 July 2019
Footballers have been put through their paces by the Royal Navy Football Association at the home of Royal Navy physical training, HMS Temeraire.
Portsmouth Football Club’s Academy team were tested over three days of intense physical exercise at the Portsmouth establishment.
A total of 20 Portsmouth Football Club trainees took part in exercises including a six-mile run, conditioning circuits, wall climbing and float fit to test their physical ability, develop new skills and team build while absorbing the Royal Navy core values and NavyFit ethos.
Royal Navy Physical Training Instructor and event organiser, Petty Officer Ross McEvoy, said: “The idea was to take Portsmouth Football Club academy for a three-day preseason training camp. Instead of basing it around football we tried to target some of the core values that we share and instil within the Royal Navy.
“We've been doing some psychology work with the players; various strength and conditioning exercises, runs along Southsea seafront and some pool work on completion. We have even touched on some emotional intelligence training.
“From a Royal Navy point of view, we are looking to sow that seed into some of the guys so that they might think about joining the Royal Navy, especially now the Physical Training Branch are recruiting directly.
“The Portsmouth club side of things is that they are looking to change the academy and instil some key disciplines and core values in terms of things like; integrity, respect, loyalty, commitment and courage.
"If they can take that away with them into their football careers and it helps them as they grow older to become well rounded people, then I think we achieved the aim.”