Academy host several successful Easter tournaments
Over the Easter break, Swansea City academy hosted a six-a-side tournament for local grassroots clubs in the south Wales area, and further afield.
The 'Swansea Sixes' festival ran from April 4 to April 5, and Landore welcomed 28 teams and over 160 budding footballers - boys and girls - to the facility over the two days, with entrants ranging from under-nine to under-12 level.
Swansea City's own age-grade sides got the opportunity to take part, but so did grassroots outfits such as Cambrian and Clydach, Penybont, Haverfordwest County and Bala Town.
Played in a group stage format, winners from group one and two went head-to-head to be crowned 'Swansea Sixes' winners.
Winners of each group table were awarded Swansea City 'winners' certificates, with a trophy to display at their club base.
A week later, it was the turn of the under-sevens and eights, who took part in mini-tournaments at the academy base.
Ashleigh Hopkins, head of coaching at Haverfordwest County's academy, believes the nature of these tournaments provides invaluable experiences for players at pre-academy level.
"Swansea City provide a fantastic experience for players and clubs to showcase their development and progression of Football Association Wales (FAW) academy talent, at both foundation and youth phases," he said.
"We always look forward to playing at the festivals, and thank Swansea City for the invitations during the school holidays."
Meanwhile, an under-14 festival was also held at Swansea's first-team training base at Fairwood on April 13.
The 11-a-side event gave an opportunity for teams to play different opposition outside of their usual fixture programmes, including the likes of Sunderland, Wolves and Bristol Rovers.
Swansea City Under-14s came out on top in the competition and the club's head of youth development phase Matt Layton, said: "The festival provided another competitive environment for the players.
"Competitive scenarios are valuable for the players to practice under pressure, they are also a valuable tool from which coaches can observe and support the players’ individual needs appropriately."
Head of foundation phase at Swansea City's academy, Craig Angus, added: "Our players and parents commit so much to travelling around the UK, which we are grateful for. Therefore, when we can, it's important that we can give them the opportunity to stay at home and play in a competitive environment.
"The sixes festivals provided the foundation phase players with the opportunity to be competitive and work hard in the pursuit of trying to get better which - as per our player development philosophy - is one of our 'Player Must Haves', allowing the players to showcase these qualities at home during the school holidays has been an invaluable experience."
