For the second year running, the Bachar Houli Foundation (BHF) has recorded its largest number of registrations for the National Senior Boys Academy Trial Day.
It comes after the Foundation also reached its largest number of participants at its Junior Boys Academy Trial Day in Victoria earlier this year.
The National Senior Boys Academy is tailored for emerging Islamic talent aged between 15 and 18-years-old, and incorporates a seven-day residential academy as part of its 12-month program.Â
As part of the seven-day academy – taking place later this month – participants will feature in two full-length AFL matches against external competition. In recent years, opponents have included the Western Jets and the Eddie Betts Foundation as part of the Betts x Houli Cup.
The Foundation was also involved in the AFL’s Talent League this year, featuring in two matches against GWS GIANTS and Tasmania.
The Talent League platform continues to strengthen the Foundation’s reputation as a pathway to elite football. In recent years, former Academy participants Saad El-Hawli (Essendon), Hussien El Achkar (Essendon) and Adam Sweid (Fremantle) have all progressed to the AFL system through BHF academies, and this year, the Foundation saw two participants feature in the AFL National Championships for Victoria Metro.
Outstanding emerging talent from the National Senior Boys Academy is selected into the BHF Elite Performance Academy, an intensive 12-month program delivered to the most talented male Islamic footballers across Australia.
The selected participants will engage in an eight-day international high-performance camp in New Zealand later this year, designed to accelerate elite football development, cultivate strong leadership qualities, and encourage cultural enrichment.
