Where It Started

Elite Football Training Academy (EFTA) was founded in Victoria, British Columbia, in 2015 by former professional footballer and Canada Soccer B Licensed Coach Emmanuel "Manny" Gomez.

After playing professionally in Argentina and competing in other countries overseas, including representing a Men's National Team, Manny returned to Victoria with a clear vision: to create the type of development environment he wished had been available during his own journey as a young player.

Growing up, access to specialized, high-quality player development often required pursuing opportunities away from home. Those experiences inspired Manny to establish an academy where players could receive professional coaching, individualized attention, and a structured pathway to help them maximize their potential.

Today, EFTA continues to support players of all ages and abilities by providing a professional environment focused on long-term development, confidence, and personal growth.

At Elite Football Training Academy, we believe every player develops at their own pace. There is no single pathway to success, which is why every player deserves coaching that reflects their individual needs, goals, and stage of development.

Our methodology is built around:

⚽ Technical Excellence
Developing technically confident players through purposeful training, technical precision, and quality repetition.

🧠 Intelligent Decision-Making
Developing awareness, creativity, and the ability to make effective decisions under pressure.

📈 Long-Term Development
Providing a structured pathway that supports continuous growth both on and off the field.

Our commitment is to provide purposeful coaching in a professional, positive, and challenging environment where every player has the opportunity to maximize their potential.

At Elite Football Training Academy, our coaching methodology is built on creating a professional, positive, and challenging environment where every player can maximize their potential. Every training session is purposeful, age-appropriate, and designed to develop the complete footballer through individualized coaching and long-term player development.

Our methodology focuses on:

⚽ Technical Development
Developing confident players through technical precision, purposeful training, quality repetition, and attention to detail.

👤 Individualized Coaching
Every player develops differently. Training is tailored to each player's age, ability, strengths, goals, and stage of development.

👥 Small Group Environment
Small training groups provide more touches on the ball, increased coaching feedback, and greater opportunities for learning and improvement.

🧠 Intelligent Decision-Making
Players are challenged through game-realistic training to improve awareness, creativity, and decision-making under pressure.

📈 Progressive Long-Term Development
A structured development pathway supports continuous improvement while building confidence, consistency, and performance over time.

⭐ Professional Standards
We promote discipline, respect, accountability, professionalism, and a strong work ethic, helping players grow both on and off the field.

Emmanuel "Manny" Gomez enjoyed a professional football career that included competing in Argentina and other countries overseas, as well as representing a Men's National Team at all levels. Training and competing in different football cultures shaped the standards, professionalism, and player-centred approach that now define Elite Football Training Academy.

Coaching Experience & Qualifications

Since founding Elite Football Training Academy in 2015, Manny has dedicated himself to developing players of all ages and abilities throughout Victoria. As a  Concacaf  B Licensed Coach & Other Coaching Licenses, he combines professional playing experience with modern coaching methods to create individualized training environments that maximize every player's potential.He also holds a

Manny is committed to creating realistic international opportunities for players through meaningful global partnerships and professional football experiences. EFTA's official partnership with Unión Deportivo Barbastro in Spain provides players with access to international training environments, coach collaboration, cultural experiences, and development opportunities that support long-term growth while exposing players to the global game.