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Borrusia Dortmund School Of Excellence

2023

BVB School Of Excellence

We are very excited and proud to announce that four of our athletes have been selected to travel to Germany in March to participate in Borussia Dortmund's School of Excellence Program! Yet another example of the real and authentic connection with Borussia Dortmund!

Cassidy Guha, Sophia Cabral, Shalagh Guha, and Taliah Pellizzari showcased their exceptional abilities and skillsets at the BVB International Academy America ID Camp, in Dallas last year. They were selected from around 40 players from the 2007-2004 age groups to represent Waterloo, and Canada in Germany. These talented players will participate in training activities and games with BVB's Women's first team.

Our players will be accompanied by Coach Melanie Jimenez, BVB IA Waterloo High Performance Technical Lead.

“I’m very excited for these girls! They have been extremely dedicated to our program, put in endless hours outside of their team environment and truly deserve this opportunity. We’re all looking forward to the trip to Germany.”

The trip to Borussia Dortmund will take place from March 12th-18th, 2023.

Also selected for the School of Excellence National Pool are Alicia McMurren, Brooke McMurren, and Zachary Pappas. These athletes have been identified to have tremendous talent who may also have opportunities to travel to Germany in the future.


2023 BVB SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE GERMANY TRIP TEAM

Cassidy Guha

Women's League1 Reserve

Sophia Cabral

Women's League1 Reserve

Taliah Pellizzari

Girls U17 OPDL

Shalagh Guha

Girls U17 OPDL

Melanie Jimenez

High Performance Technical Lead

2023 BVB SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE NATIONAL POOL SELECTION

Alicia McMurren

Women's League1 Reserve

Brooke McMurren

Girls U17 OPDL

Zachary Pappas

Boys U12 Skill Centre


What is the BVB School Of Excellence?

The School of Excellence is dedicated to identifying the highest level of talent within the BVB International Academy by the leadership of each of the 12 affiliate clubs as well as by current Borussia Dortmund Youth Academy and coaches. Throughout the process, the players are asked to compete within their age group for the opportunity to be selected for their regional pools. Once selected at the regional level, they then travel to compete for a national pool position. As the competition progresses, the talent pool is concentrated so that by the end, approximately 350 players come together to compete for the National Pool rosters. From the National Pool then, 18 boys and 18 girls are selected as the School of Excellence Team.

This year (2023), the School of Excellence (SOE) Trip for the boys consists of the 2007, 2008, 2009 age groups, and for the girls, players were selected from the 2004/2005, 2006 and 2007 age groups.

The School of Excellence was started in 2019 as a part of the real and authentic professional player pathway that BVB International Academy (BVBIA) provides for our players. Together with our College Athlete Placement (CAP) program, BVB IA offers players the full range of opportunities from the earliest ages of 4 years old as Mini Bees to the CAP Program and School of Excellence Program for the high school players. From attending college as a student-athlete to the opportunity to play professionally, both the boys and the girls programs offer the unique opportunities of being partnered with one of the very best professional European clubs in the world. 

These 36 deserving players selected for the School of Excellence trip will experience first-hand the highest levels of competition and training while on their 7-day trip to Dortmund, Germany. They will train at the Youth Academy, compete against the academy/professional teams and have the opportunity to be a part of the professional European experience very few players ever see. The players will also have an opportunity to encounter the culture, heritage and traditions of Borussia Dortmund and feel the heartbeat of the club as they traverse the city of Dortmund. These 36 players will attend a BVB game at their home field - Signal Iduna. Here on display is the authentic intensity and passion that is Borussia Dortmund. 

We wish to congratulate all the players who were selected for the National Pools as well as for the 2023 SOE Trip Team. We are proud of all of our players, and join their teams, parents, families and friends with a hearty congratulations to each of them. 

We believe that with the team trip opportunity also comes great responsibility for each of the 36 players who will train in Dortmund. We know that they will represent BVB International Academy with character and intensity throughout the trip.