Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy, the inspirer and founder of the Ruh football club, did not just share his plans – he opened the door to the club’s great future by revealing the details of the construction of the new, phenomenal Ruh Academy complex. This Academy is a unique phenomenon in the life of Ukraine, impressing with its scale, architectural solutions and, most importantly, its innovative approach to training future football stars.

Ruh Academy – a dream come true

The Ruh Football Academy is not just a training base, but a full-fledged educational and sports complex where more than 200 specialists create ideal conditions for 250 young football players every day, said Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy. “These are children from different parts of Ukraine: Lviv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, as well as internally displaced persons from the occupied territories.

Every employee, from the cook who prepares borsch to the coach and educator, works to ensure that young talents take a step towards their dreams every hour.

Former Dynamo Kyiv and Ukraine national team player Mykola Morozyuk, who once left his native Lviv region to train, spent a week at the Academy to see its work with his own eyes and show how the best football academy in Ukraine lives.

Digitalization and individual approach: a unique methodology

Life at the Academy is subject to a clear schedule and discipline, starting at 6:30 am. One of the main innovations is the digitalization of data on each player, which has been in place for over a year and a half:

• Morning digital survey: Players assess their general health, sleep quality, muscle pain, stress levels, and mood on a daily basis.
• Individual profiles: Each player’s profile includes physical data, daily schedule, personal goals, and work on mistakes.
• Control system: Players have a mobile application where they can monitor their workload, get evaluations from coaches, and watch video training sessions that are archived for analysis by management and coaches.
• Methodology and goals: Individualized methodologies have been developed for each age. The coaches set individual goals for improvement, which are supported by training videos (for example, analyzing the actions of a top player such as Pedri).

According to the coaches, only hard work yields results.

“A football career is structured in such a way that every day is a labor. You can’t stop,” the Academy emphasizes, instilling in children the right understanding of professional football.

Michelin-starred cuisine and own farm

The diet of young athletes at the Academy is impressive. Mykola Morozyuk, comparing the food to his childhood, called the local cuisine a “Michelin restaurant”.

• Quality food: They are fed three times a day, as well as provided with a snack and dinner. Young footballers eat on a buffet system.
• Seasonal menu: The menu must be coordinated with the medical staff, doctors and nutritionists.
• Our own farm: The biggest secret of the kitchen is the Academy’s own farm, where they grow all the best and the real thing. For example, Jersey cows produce milk with a fat content of up to 7%. The milk is kept fresh in the refrigerator, cooled to three degrees. This guarantees an environmentally friendly and high-quality product for young athletes.

Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy: Constant presence and huge plans

The founder of the Academy, Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy, lives nearby and visits the students almost every day. He knows almost all the players by name, position and story.

“I believe that there is no better mission in life than to live for children,” Kozlovskyy emphasizes.

Evening training sessions are not uncommon here thanks to the high-quality lighting. The Academy’s leaders, including sport director Yuriy Pankiv and director Volodymyr Bezubiak (who trained players such as Oleksiy Sych and Danylo Sikan), maintain a high standard.

The team of 16-year-olds confirms the effectiveness of the system by being the current champions of Ukraine. In addition, it is the Ruh Academy that gives young players chances, as evidenced by the debut of 16-year-old Oleh Dzyurynets in the Premier League.

The success of the Academy was confirmed by the recent triumph at the prestigious Al Ahly International Cup in Cairo. Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy added that this victory is proof that the club is building the best Academy.