The UEFA "Playmakers" program supports girls in Ternopil region

23.03.2024 10:15

Photo by AFT

The youngest girls join football in three centers of the UEFA "Playmakers" program in the Ternopil region. Story classes with an innovative approach based on Disney cartoons are held, in particular, on the basis of the Zolotoslobid gymnasium of the Koziv community of the Ternopil district.

Before training, the girls watched the Disney cartoon "Encanto" and memorized the main characters and their roles. From the first training session, they plunged into a magical world of adventure and fun travel combined with the performance of interesting football exercises and tasks. Each girl had the opportunity to imagine herself as the main character of the cartoon and demonstrate such virtues as independence, respect and team spirit during fun training sessions. 

Photo by AFT

The local trainers of the program say that the girls attend each class with great pleasure and interest, they are extremely smart and capable. Despite the fact that some of them have come to training in this direction for the first time, they have adapted very well to the conditions, structure, order and discipline and are beginning to understand the principle of teamwork, control their emotions and understand the basics of football. The girls perform all tasks and exercises with maximum diligence and interest and, most importantly, attend all classes.

Photo by AFT

Program coach Oksana Pankiv notes: "Since the program is aimed at maximum involvement of girls in football, at this age stage it is important for them to understand what a team and a team sport are, to learn to work in a team, as well as to show support and help other participants."

In the region, the project is managed by the Football Association of the Ternopil region and the regional coordinator Vasyl Zatorskyi: "Today, football training for girls aged 5-8 years is being held at three locations in the Ternopil region according to the UEFA Playmakers program, which was implemented for us by the UAF. The effectiveness and advantage of this program is that all the exercises are based on the stories of the Disney cartoon, they are easy, interesting and educational for girls."

Photo by AFT

The goals of the UEFA Playmakers program, which is implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association:

— introduce girls to football by creating an environment for them that focuses on fun, friends and football;

— to implement a new individual coaching approach that uses imagination (inspired by Disney stories and characters) as a tool for training and acquiring football skills;

— improve girls' life skills, basic movement skills and teach them the fundamentals of soccer to foster a lifelong commitment to the sport.