Post by cjeagle on Mar 1, 2014 1:43:12 GMT 8
Foreign embassies back new grassroots football tournament for Filipino children
Philippine football stakeholders and diplomats on Friday joined forces to spearhead a grassroots project that aims to further promote the sport in the country.
The Philippine Football Federation and the University of Asia and the Pacific launched the 2014 Ambassadors’ Cup, a project that aims to train kids and coaches from poor communities in Metro Manila in the sport.
“Values are imparted to children through sports. They will know that there is no secret in excelling in football,” PFF president Mariano Araneta said. “It will require sacrifice and discipline to attain the highest level.”
The PFF together with Team Socceroo will facilitate the training sessions while UA&P will conduct further research on more ways to engage communities through sports.
At least 10 foreign embassies in the Philippines will adopt one poor community to form teams that will play in a futsal tournament on May 10. Participating embassies include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea, Timor Leste, United Kingdom and United States.
Before the tournament, a series of futsal clinics for children and coaches will be conducted in April. The clinics will target at least 200 children who will train in 24 sessions.
Participants also have the chance to watch matches of the Azkals and the United Football League for free and have the opportunity to play in big football pitches such as Emperador Stadium during the duration of the project.
“Futsal is the best way to reach football to the communities because of the infrastructure available (basketball courts) and the talent it can produce (due to its fast-paced nature),” Ambassadors’ Cup task force chairman Paulus Reyes said.
“It can transform lives and it is the best way to instill values.”
The diplomats who graced the project launch expressed their delight on taking part in the grassroots football project.
“What hurts me most is that when I hear that football is for the elite,” UK ambassador to the Philippines Asif Anwar Ahmad said. “I came here with the ambition for football to become more popular here.”
Chilean ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Mayorga hopes the project to reach out more places in the country especially in Tacloban City in Leyte where super typhoon “Yolanda” left thousands of dead last November.
“We will try to extend this project to other communities,” added Mayorga, who hopes to hold a tournament in Leyte in November. “We already started training four schools in Leyte. We are inviting the embassies to support more children in Leyte especially in November.”
The Ambassadors’ Cup is a joint initiative of the PFF, UA&P, Team Socceroo, TELUS, and the Henry V. Moran Foundation.
www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/foreign-embassies-back-new-grassroots-football-tournament-for-filipino-children
I think the community backed by Brazil will have an advantage. Hopefully the kids will continue playing after this tournament and start neighborhood futsal tournaments like they do in Brazil. They can even use socks to practice with. With basketball courts everywhere, all they need is some makeshift nets to play futsal.
Philippine football stakeholders and diplomats on Friday joined forces to spearhead a grassroots project that aims to further promote the sport in the country.
The Philippine Football Federation and the University of Asia and the Pacific launched the 2014 Ambassadors’ Cup, a project that aims to train kids and coaches from poor communities in Metro Manila in the sport.
“Values are imparted to children through sports. They will know that there is no secret in excelling in football,” PFF president Mariano Araneta said. “It will require sacrifice and discipline to attain the highest level.”
The PFF together with Team Socceroo will facilitate the training sessions while UA&P will conduct further research on more ways to engage communities through sports.
At least 10 foreign embassies in the Philippines will adopt one poor community to form teams that will play in a futsal tournament on May 10. Participating embassies include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea, Timor Leste, United Kingdom and United States.
Before the tournament, a series of futsal clinics for children and coaches will be conducted in April. The clinics will target at least 200 children who will train in 24 sessions.
Participants also have the chance to watch matches of the Azkals and the United Football League for free and have the opportunity to play in big football pitches such as Emperador Stadium during the duration of the project.
“Futsal is the best way to reach football to the communities because of the infrastructure available (basketball courts) and the talent it can produce (due to its fast-paced nature),” Ambassadors’ Cup task force chairman Paulus Reyes said.
“It can transform lives and it is the best way to instill values.”
The diplomats who graced the project launch expressed their delight on taking part in the grassroots football project.
“What hurts me most is that when I hear that football is for the elite,” UK ambassador to the Philippines Asif Anwar Ahmad said. “I came here with the ambition for football to become more popular here.”
Chilean ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Mayorga hopes the project to reach out more places in the country especially in Tacloban City in Leyte where super typhoon “Yolanda” left thousands of dead last November.
“We will try to extend this project to other communities,” added Mayorga, who hopes to hold a tournament in Leyte in November. “We already started training four schools in Leyte. We are inviting the embassies to support more children in Leyte especially in November.”
The Ambassadors’ Cup is a joint initiative of the PFF, UA&P, Team Socceroo, TELUS, and the Henry V. Moran Foundation.
www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/foreign-embassies-back-new-grassroots-football-tournament-for-filipino-children
I think the community backed by Brazil will have an advantage. Hopefully the kids will continue playing after this tournament and start neighborhood futsal tournaments like they do in Brazil. They can even use socks to practice with. With basketball courts everywhere, all they need is some makeshift nets to play futsal.