UEFA GROW pilot project in Ukraine in September: start of new competitions and first steps of young athletes

02.10.2019 15:04

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In three pilot regions - Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv oblasts - the implementation of activities within the framework of the UEFA GROW Participation program in Ukraine continues. The main goal of this program is to implement systemic changes and achieve a long-term effect in the development of children's and youth and grassroots football in our country. 

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One of such events was the micro-project "Our Game", designed to strengthen the position of girls' football in Ukraine, in particular, greater involvement of girls in football and overcoming gender stereotypes about football. The project combines the organization of additional competitions among purely girls' teams and the involvement of the youngest girls (from seven years old) in the festival format. 

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Among the projects implemented under the program is also the School Football League - a kind of popular competition "Leather Ball". The difference is that the format of the school league will ensure the involvement of schoolchildren in regular football lessons throughout the school year. According to the head of the program Oksana Lesyk, it is extremely important to strengthen the format of "football for all" and create the necessary conditions for boys and girls to play on a regular basis. “It is important that our projects receive an extremely positive perception and active participation among children and youth, as well as among their parents. Everyone understands that sport is an integral part of modern life, healthy development and success. This is the most important factor, which, of course, will help increase the popularity of the program and its effectiveness, "- said Oksana Lesyk. 

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These and other micro-projects are based on the basic principle of "football for all". Thus, the priority of such events is to create conditions for everyone to play - both those children and young people who dream of a football career, and those who have not yet tested their athletic talent on the field. 

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Another goal of the UEFA GROW project is to create a culture of registration for players who regularly play football (according to UEFA's definition, it involves more than 10 sessions per year), across all age groups and training levels.

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Cooperation and support of local authorities, regional units of education and sports, a wide range of partners and coordinators on the ground are extremely important for the successful implementation of the set tasks. And that's a big part of every GROW regional team working in the districts, reaching the maximum number of people.

Thus, in September, significant meetings were held with city mayors, representatives of city and regional departments of education authorities, district coordinators in Dnipropetrovsk region, in particular, in the cities of Pavlograd and Ternovka. The meeting was attended by First Vice-President of the UAF Oleg Protasov, Chairman of the Football Federation of Dnipropetrovsk region Viktor Andrukhov and Deputy Secretary General of UAF, Chairman of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Football Federation Andriy Bondarenko.

After discussing the theoretical issues of football development, the practical part was obligatory - open lessons and master classes with the participation of boys and girls from the age of seven to nine, who took part in the first football festivals in their lives. Girls' festivals and other football events within the project also took place in the cities of Synelnykove and Pershotravensk.

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