About Vilamoura Sports Academy
Find out more about the Vilamoura Sports Academy
Where every child discovers their champion!
Your child’s journey of growth, determination and accomplishment whilst embracing sportsmanship starts at Vilamoura Sports Academy.
Venture
Your child’s exploration of a diverse range of sports enables them to cultivate a lifelong interest and passion for sport.
Strive
Your child will develop the technical skills used within sports and will build life skills which will empower them become not just better athletes but better individuals.
Achieve
Your child will accomplish their sporting goals and are driven to attain their personal best, eventually transforming into their own sporting champion.
Welcome to Vilamoura Sports Academy which is new to the Algarve from September 2023. When we arrived in the Algarve last year, we found there was an opportunity to bring a wide variety of sport to children in the Algarve, especially from English speaking coaches. Therefore, our aim is a simple one: To provide children the opportunity to receive high-quality, English-speaking sports coaching, in an array of sports in a safe, inclusive and fun environment.
Our coaching philosophy is that when children learn and develop in any sport it should be fun but also must focus on the skills and technical aspects used within a particular sport for the children to make progression. We adopt a 3-step approach when coaching:
- Introduce a skill or technique within an isolated scenario.
- Practice the skill in a different environment.
- Utilise the skill within a game style scenario.
We also believe that sport can be a driver for children to learn other valuable skills. Whilst also working on skills related to a sport, our sessions will also focus on skills that can be used in later life like resilience, teamwork, communication and problem solving.
All our coaching will be provided in English which we believe is a great opportunity for children to immerse themselves in the English language. All our coaches are English speaking, and all are teachers that have experience of working with EAL pupils.
Our sessions will take place at the new sports facility at Nobel International School in Almancil providing the children with the perfect environment to practice their skills. All our staff will be first aid trained to ensure that the children taking part will always be safe. All our sessions will cost just €10 per sessions to ensure that they are affordable. Our sessions are purchased as a package half termly to ensure that children are given the opportunity to make progression over a series of weeks. Our sessions can either be purchased online at the time of registering or in cash on the first session to create flexibility.
Our football academy, Vilamoura FC Academy, is the first EXPAT football club in the Algarve which offers a pathway from junior football all the way to men’s and Veteran’s football, something that we feel very proud of. We hope that this will help to bring a sense of community to our Sports Academy. In the near future, we plan to give the children that take part in our football academy the opportunity to take part in matches against local teams and we will be hosting events for all members of Vilamoura Sports Academy regularly.
We look forward to welcoming you on our exciting adventure at Vilamoura Sports Academy.
Meet the Team
Daniel Norton
Founder and Head Coach
Age: 33
From: Beverley, England
I am truly passionate about sport. I believe sport can open opportunities to children and is a drive for children to learn key social and inter-personal skills which will be imperative within any workplace in their future.
My reason for starting Vilamoura Sports Academy was to provides EXPATs in the local area with access to English speaking coaching in a vast range of sports where coaching in Portugal is limited. I believe the academy will provide children with a safe and fun setting to learn the technical aspects needed within numerous sports and give them the opportunity to Implement these into a game situation.
Vilamoura FC Football Academy will be the first expat club to run from junior football all the way to veterans football. I believe children having a pathway through to adult sports is integral. I also believe this will create a community within the club which I believe will be fantastic for children and parents.
As a sportsman I was a youth academy graduate of Hull City and I have played and captained various semi-professional clubs such as North Ferriby and Bridlington Town. In addition to football, I was very fortunate to represent my county in golf, cricket and athletics. This level of elite representation helped to build many of the fundamental coaching techniques I use today.
I have a vast range of coaching and teaching experience. I have coached various football teams and coached school teams in all sports. In England I was recognised as a Specialist Leader in Education for PE for my local area, which meant me working with schools to improve their PE provision. In 2018, I started my own Summer Sports Camp business ‘Norton Sports Camp’, which over the last five years has successfully delivered provision to 600 children in England and Portugal. I have the highest of standards in coaching and what I expect from my coaches as I believe a sporting experience for a child will last a lifetime.
Matty Miller
Lead Coach
Age: 23
From: Fife, Scotland
I am an enthusiastic individual who is passionate about providing children with the best opportunity possible to flourish and strive to achieve their potential.
One of my main passions in life is football. I started playing football from the moment I could walk. When playing youth football, I played for Burntisland Shipyard FC and the school team for a number of years where I had a lot of success winning leagues and cups. I also played for the Fife Regional Team and the Hibernian Development Squad (Scotland’s 4th Largest Professional Team). More recently, I have played semi-professionally with Glenrothes FC and then transferred back to Burntisland Shipyard FC where I signed semi-professionally and played last season.
I have a wealth of experience in coaching football. I have my level 1.1 and 1.2 coaching badges, and I have coached numerous school football teams and at Burntisland Shipyard. I have also coached football at lots of sports camps, taught football in lessons and coached at the School of Football.
Other sports that I have experience coaching in are basketball, swimming, tennis, lacrosse, volleyball, handball, cricket, water polo, American football, handball and softball.
I have an MA honours in physical education from Edinburgh University. I have a vast range of experience of working at sports camps such Norton Sports Camp and Fife Multi sport camp. This year I will start my new role as Head of Sports at Nobel International School Algarve.
Our Partners and Sponsors
Vilamoura Sports Academy are proud to work with local partners.
