The Yellows kept their place at the top of the table after their latest victory over UD Vall de Uxó
Talent, teamwork and enthusiasm are the main qualities behind Villarreal’s U9’s (Benjamín B) rapid growth as a team. The Yellows consolidated their position at the top of Group A of Castellon’s ‘Liga Benjamín de 1º año¡ this weekend, after picking up another three points against UD Vall de Uxó (4-2), who were sixth in the table at the time.
In a disrupted season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the side have only played eleven games. Nonetheless, their results have been outstanding, with the team currently on an eight-match winning streak, a string of results that have impressed their coaches. “Their work has been excellent. They are a group with lots of talent, who are always willing to learn, something that leads not only to individual improvement, but also to collective growth as a team” said Ferran Usó, one of the five coaches who make up the coaching team for the U9s.
While their team chemistry and good results on the pitch have come from lots of hard work on the training ground, their achievements have also been made possible by the excellent personal skills of the players who make up the team: “They are an excellent group, made up of very respectful boys who are very united and who are committed to the team and the rest of their teammates. The atmosphere is very positive and they all have a great relationship with one another, something that only serves to strengthen them on the pitch.”
The Yellows coach also underlined the maturity of his young players, a quality that has helped them to adapt quickly to the ‘Benjamín’ age group, a level of football that they have only just reached this season: “They are first-year ‘Benjamín’ players, but they have developed very well as footballers. They understand the game with so much maturity for their age, which is such a great virtue for them to have”.
Despite their good run of results and their impressive position in the table, for the U9s, sporting success is not the main goal. Instead, the coaches focus on improving each of the talented young players individually: “Our priority is the individual growth of the children, and to ensure that they can progress within the sporting structure of the club. We also want them to enjoy themselves during training and have fun on the pitch”. Even so, as Usó conceded, winning the league would be a great reward for the hard work of the young players: “The team is very excited to try to win the trophy. It would be such a great prize for the work that they’ve put in this season, but in no way is it our main objective; it is only a consequence of the improvement that we’re seeing in our players”.
Aside from a sporting focus, the team, coached by Usó, Adrian Cardosa, Francesc Peris, Ricardo Paz and Quique Altemir, also place emphasis on the personal growth of the youngsters, where they try to set their young players lots of achievable goals: “We try to educate them away from football as well, to instil the values of this sport and of Villarreal CF, so that they know the responsibility that comes with wearing the shirt. We also look to teach them to be independent and responsible away from the pitch, despite their young age”.
The U9s team is made up of the following players: Arturo Albiñana, Jorge Beltrán, Daniel Serrano, Daniel Adel, Leo Mezquita, Francisco Molero, Edgar Márquez, Iker Vicent, Marcos Chumillas, Nelo Ventura, Pablo Verchili and Juan Mesa. The team is managed by the coaches Adrián Cardosa, Ferran Usó, Francesc Peris, Ricardo Paz and Quique Altemir.
