Aspire Academy held its second ‘All-Grades’ parents meeting recently to continue building strong ties between the students’ families and coaches.  
Speaking on the occasion, Ali Fawaz, Master Teacher at Aspire Academy, said: “We look at parents as our partners. This partnership is very important to Aspire Academy, maybe more so than in any other school in Qatar, because our boys need to excel on two fronts – academic and athletic. Our boys spend most of their time in the Academy, because of the busy training and academic schedules. Some of our students even stay in the dormitories, so the parents don’t get to see them as often as they would in any other school, so it’s important that they’re kept in the loop about their boys’ progress and involved in various activities at the Academy.”
In recognition of the parents’ role in helping the student-athletes reach their full potential, Fawaz added: “We have an Advisory Council at the Academy made up of ten representatives that comprise education experts, parents and community members. The purpose of this body is to meet regularly and get feedback on the progress our student-athletes are making, about Aspire Academy, the curriculum, and students’ activities.”    
Meanwhile, Mohammed Hassan Yehia Othman, parent of 12-year-old goalkeeper Abubakar, said: “My son has been at the academy for a year. He joined the academy when his age permitted him to enrol after spending almost five years with the Academy’s Feeders Group (a training programme for young footballers that have been selected by the academy’s scouting team before joining the academy). The Academy is indescribable, it impressed us on all levels. It’s an honour for my son to be here. Luckily, the coaches and staff are very co-operative and communicate with us regularly. The academic level at the Aspire Academy is great, the teachers and coaches are very supportive. Qatar takes very good care of the athletic development of its locals and residents, through institutions like Aspire Academy.” 
Shaher al-Shemmari, father of 14-year-old Javelin thrower Abdulaziz, added: “My son’s been with the academy for two years. These meetings make it easier for the parents to meet with all the teachers and coaches at the same time. I’m thankful to Qatar for building such a place for students to develop physically and academically and am proud of what my son has accomplished through the academy.” 
Aspire Academy says that it aims to develop students holistically, providing individuals with a comprehensive academic, social and sporting education. To support student-athletes in fulfilling their promise, there are five major departments at Aspire Academy that specifically look after their development: the Football Department, the Football Performance and Science Department, the Sports Department (non-football), the Sports Science Department and the Education and Student Care Department.