Teenage football sensation Martin Davis will leave the island today for Spain where he will join the Valencia Football Academy after enjoying a successful one-week stint at the club’s scholarship programme three months ago.

The 14-year-old St George’s College student and Glenmuir’s Kaya Beckford, 16, had both been awarded the opportunity to participate in the Valencia CF summer camp back in July after outstanding performances at the Next Generation Easter Camp held in Jamaica earlier in the year.

The youngsters, who are both hailed as ‘Football Ambassadors’, yesterday paid a visit to the offices of the Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture, the Honourable Olivia Grange.

Speaking to the Observer after the trip to the ministry, Andre Virtue, who is the technical director of the Next Generation Camp, explained that the Valencia coaches were not merely interested in selecting players with raw talent.

“We have so much ability in Jamaica that the focus… was more on the players’ attitude. The Valencia coaches looked out for whether the youngsters were coachable and teachable and if they’re thinkers on the field. Those are the kind of qualities that they saw in Kaya and Martin and that made them the two selected as MVPs during the (Next Generation) camp,” he said.

Beckford, who is currently in training with the Jamaica U-17s as they prepare for the CONCACAF Championships next February, is expected to leave for Spain at a date soon to be announced.

While developing their talent at the top-tier European club for a one-year period, the youngsters will attend Caxton College which is said to offer good educational and sporting facilities and is one of the reputable British curriculum institutions in Spain.

Added Virtue: “They’ll be in a professional football environment and a main thing will also be their education so it’s the whole package. It’s not just football because they’re still young, and I think it is a wonderful opportunity for both of them,” he said, adding that the partnership is the start of a three-year arrangement between the Spanish giants and Jamaica.

In commending the boys’ achievement, Grange noted the significance of the partnership between Valencia FC, the Government of Jamaica and the sponsors.

“It’s an important partnership and it is one that is extremely good for us… Not only am I going to commend the two youngster… but I’m going to commend the parents for the effort (they have put in),” the minister said.

The Next Generation programme is a subsidiary of Taino Trade and Investments Limited, which is owned by Valencia-born Victor Salazar-Chang, who has been residing in Jamaica for over two decades.

The Camps are part of the Valencia CF’s efforts to promote their status internationally. Jamaica is set to benefit even further with the club’s planned establishment of a permanent campus here by 2013.

At a brief function at Scotiabank Centre in Downtown Kingston earlier yesterday, the teenagers were given an informal sending-off and were awarded US$1,200 towards their tuition.

Director of marketing programmes, Joan Forrest-Henry, said: “Scotiabank was exceptionally pleased with the performance of the boys at the Next Generation Valencia CF Easter Football Camp this year… for being selected Most Valuable Players. It brings tears to my eyes to be a part of this dream which could one day see these boys representing Jamaica in international football.”