Everton announce new partnership with American community hub, Town and Country Sports

Town and Country Sports, a leading community hub from Texas, is to join forces with Everton in an exciting new partnership.

The Austin-based club is the latest addition to Everton’s International Academy Affiliate Programme (EIAAP), with the two clubs set to work together on curriculum sharing, player development, coach education and safeguarding procedures and practices.

The EIAAP initiative provides clubs at all tiers of the game with access to the finest coaching knowledge from Everton’s renowned Academy to support with growth – a level of support that sets it apart from more traditional models.

These include:

A holistic approach to player, coach and club development, offering technical support from Everton’s Finch Farm training complex and business and marketing support from its Royal Liver Building business headquarters
Regular support from a dedicated Everton Academy coach
Full access to the Everton Academy curriculum

Town and Country Sports is a provider of youth sports across the community for all ages and abilities.

Their soccer arm offers a variety of programs for players aged three to 18, from Recreational (U4-U19) to Academy (U8-U10) and Select (U11-U19).

Recreational programmes provide a foundation for young players, with Academy programmes providing the next step on the pathway to a potential career in the game, via team competition.

The Select level offers the highest level of development, providing an opportunity for older players to challenge themselves in a competitive, developmental environment.

As an International Academy Affiliate partner, Town and Country Sports will have the opportunity to visit Everton’s state-of-the-art Finch Farm complex – the home of Everton’s senior men’s, senior women’s and academy teams – for education and training.

Rich Swain, Soccer Director at Town and Country Sports, said:

“We are extremely excited to be partnering with an English Premier League club of the history and stature of Everton.

“The opportunities this affiliation will provide our membership is unrivalled in the Austin area.

“We share many of the same values, such as community, honesty, and integrity which makes this relationship a perfect match.”

Everton International Technical Manager Paddy Byrne will assist in sharing the Everton Academy curriculum and methods used at Finch Farm to develop both player and coaching skills.

This, in turn, will provide Town and Country Sports with additional knowledge and resources to assist with the Club’s goal to develop the stars of tomorrow in the United States.

Byrne added:

“We are delighted to welcome Town and Country Sports as a partner club to  Everton’s International Academy Affiliate programme.

“I’m excited to work alongside Rich, Soccer President Josh Brown and their team, and by sharing our values and coaching methods we will further enhance both our affiliate programme and Everton’s bond with North America.  

“I am sure this will prove a fruitful partnership for both clubs, and we can’t wait to get started.”

Everton’s International Academy Affiliate Club programme, which is available to grassroots teams, professional sides, youth academies, girls’ and women’s teams, as well as colleges and universities, was launched in 2020.

The programme, which aims to expand the knowledge and expertise of Everton’s player development processes to affiliated clubs across the world, has affiliates in the US, Canada, South America, Africa, Australia and Ireland.