Aspire Academy embarked on a new school year last week, and its student-athletes are already gearing up for an all-encompassing curriculum that will incorporate a mix of both sports and education, providing the ideal preparation for a career of sporting achievement.
“The wings on the school emblem represent the two focus areas – sports and education,” said Jassim Mohammed Al Jabir, Aspire Academy Principal. “Some of our students join professional sports clubs, some go on to university, while others go straight into a job. The plan is to ultimately provide our students with the necessary tools for them to excel in whatever path they choose.”
Student-athlete Abdulla Al Ali, aged 16, believes that this dual emphasis creates a unique atmosphere. “Aspire Academy is different from regular schools,” he said. “Sports and studying are balanced, which I like. I enjoy both parts of school life. At Aspire we have our freedom, but we are also given a certain amount of responsibility. This will help us when we eventually graduate. Everything here is preparing us for our future.”
Rashid Ali Rashid, aged 17, feels that the Academy’s approach has greatly assisted him on a personal level. “Aspire has made me more open to new things,” he said. “It has also helped me develop as an individual. I used to be quite shy, and I am now more confident.”
Rashid concentrates on athletics at Aspire Academy and specialises in shot putt. Meanwhile, Ali is a promising footballer who hopes to put his studies to good use by becoming a lawyer while retaining an interest in playing the beautiful game.
Another key focus of the school is to prepare its student-athletes for the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup. Recent additions to the school schedule include Spanish and French, which, alongside English, are two of the organisation’s official languages. “After winning the 2022 bid, we introduced two new languages designed to help the students prepare for the World Cup,” Al Jabir explained.The Peninsula
