Fernando Macedo joined Sheffield United to become the 50th player from the Kinetic Foundation to have signed for a professional team.
The Croydon-based academy has produced a number of top level players including Joe Aribo (Rangers), Josh Maja (Bordeaux) and Omar Richards (Bayern Munich).
The Kinetic Foundation is a registered charity that aims to use sport to attract and engage with disadvantaged young people from London who are at risk of disengagement and deprivation.
Harry Hudson, co-founder of the Kinetic Foundation, said: “It means a lot to Kinetic when a player signs professionally, it’s a really positive exit route for the young people into employment.
“We’re very thankful that the boys who do make it in the professional game do keep in contact, do keep supporting the programme.
“That was epitomised with the 10 year anniversary. Some of the boys came back to play or support if they couldn’t play in the game.”
Macedo, 17, had been playing for Red Bull Bragantino in his native Brazil before being released and moving to England in search of new opportunities in 2019 where he joined the Kinetic academy.
He was offered a contract by Sheffield United after impressing on trial at the club.
The foundation also delivers a wide range of educational services and opportunities and runs free weekly training sessions in the Croydon community for young players of all abilities.
Hudson said: “The main values of the foundation focus around the notion of giving back and we see community and social development as a reciprocal process.
“We give the young people a free service that supports and helps them in their education, in their personal development, in their football and we ask them to give back by volunteering each week. We want the boys to be pro-social members of society.
The academy has proved to be one of the most dynamic and successful in London, with graduates playing professionally for Premier League, English Football League and US teams.
It has also produced a lot of semi-professional/amateur footballers.
The academy has been enjoying success on the pitch too, as it progressed to the second round of the FA Youth Cup last week with a 95th minute winner against Hayes and Yeading United.
The Kinetic academy competes in the competition through Corinthian-Casuals Football Club – who they formed a partnership with to help challenge and showcase their talented youngsters.
“We tend to have very successful team competing at the top of all of our leagues, cup competitions, FA youth cup is the biggest yardstick of success for us”, Hudson said.
Kinetic competes as an academy in a number of different youth competitions, sometimes representing clubs such as Croydon FC and Corinthian-Casuals.
It also has scholars playing for Harris Academy school teams through which it runs its education side of the academy programme.
On the same night, Kinetic graduate Tyrese Osbourne, who plays for Ipswich Tow, scored one and assisted two in a 7-1 win.
You can keep up to date with what’s happening at Kinetic Foundation by following them on social media:
Website: https://www.kinetic-foundation.org.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinetic_foundation/
TikTok: @kineticacademy
Twitter:
