Players Development Program

Like any of its contributions towards society, Guaranty Trust’s CSR initiatives are well placed to have an all-round impact in enriching people across different stages of their lives. So when we started Guaranty Trust Camp, we did so to train and develop outstanding football talents discovered at the GTBank football tournaments.

Camp GTBank is a football and educational development initiative designed to train and develop outstanding football talents discovered at the GTBank football tournaments which include the Guaranty Trust Lagos State Principals Cup, Guaranty Trust Ogun State Principals Cup, and the Guaranty Trust Masters Cup. Since its inception in 2011, Camp GTBank has helped kick start the careers of more than 120 footballers, some of whom have been selected to represent the country in international tournaments at various levels, and are currently playing in both domestic and foreign league clubs. The Camp’s program also extends to providing world-class training to coaches across Nigeria with the goal of broadening their coaching knowledge and skills and thereby improving the quality of grassroot football.

CAMP GTBank is held once a year after the football season. The selected students are taken through training sessions on formations, strategy, tactics, conditioning, instructions, and physical exercises.

Season 1 (2011) had 28 players (16 boys & 12 girls) in camp. David Mark Penny, Fulham FC youth coach was in charge of the camp. He was assisted by Peter Rufai, an ex-super eagles goalkeeper, Ann Chiejine, a Nigerian female coach, and Yisa Sofoluwe, a Nigerian Male Coach.

Season 2 (2012) had 26 students (18 boys & 8 girls) in camp. Mark Ellis, the Youth Coach for Arsenal FC and Fulham FC was in charge of the camp. Mark had been involved in football development for 18 years and has identified some of the top young English players such Ashley Cole, David Bentley, and Jack Wilsher.

Mark was again assisted by Yisa Sofoluwe, an ex–Nigeria International, who played as a Defender. He won 40 caps and scored 1 goal and was Nigeria’s regular left-back between 1983 and 1988 – playing at the 1984 and 1988 African Nations Cups. After the 1988 season, he left his club Abiola Babes to play in Belgium. He is currently a grassroots football coach working with various youth academies in the country. This will be his second appearance at Camp GTBank.

Anne Chiejinne, a goalkeeper of the Super Falcons team for 15 years, who won the African Women Championship six times and went to the World Cup for three consecutive times was at the camp to assist in the coaching. She has served as the Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach for the Super Falcons and this will also be her second appearance at Camp GTBank.

Season 3 (2013) had 40 students (24 boys & 16 girls) in attendance. Samson Siasia, ex-Super Eagles of Nigeria striker, and former coach of the country’s junior and senior national teams headed the coaching crew which comprised of ex-internationals Waheed Akanni, Anne Chiejine, and Yisa Sofoluwe.

Season 4 (2015) was anchored by ex-Nigerian international Victor Ikpeba, with 29 players (21 boys & 8 girls) groomed for a week – 31st August to 7th September.

Season 5 (2017) had 36 students (26 boys & 10 girls) in camp. Augustine Eguavoen, a former professional footballer and coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria lead the team of seven coaches that comprised Henry Nwosu, Waheed Akanni, Anne Chiejine, Yisa Sofoluwe, Ajuma Ameh-Ottache, and Jolomi Atune.

The 2017 Camp held from 20th – 28 August in Greensprings School, Lekki/Epe Expressway, Lagos, and for the first time, offered a 2-day coach-training for school coaches and sports instructors, to develop and enhance their knowledge and technical competence.