PANJIM: Dempo Sports Club organized their second community outreach programme for special children of Sanjay School, Porvorim at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, recently.
Around, 100 boys and girls in the age group of 8-15 participated and got a unique opportunity to play for the first time on the artificial turf.
Dempo Sports Club General Manager Wilfred D’Souza informed, “This is our first step towards providing as many sporting opportunities to children. I’m happy and proud that our youth development team took the opportunity to train the special children.”
“Our programme will give every child an equal opportunity to be part of ‘The Beautiful Game’. This is surely not going to be the last of our outreach initiative as I see lot of potential in these children,” said D’Souza.
Dempo Sports Club took distinct initiative to take the game to the special children, as team Technical Director Katz Naidoo believes ‘football is for all’.
“Every child must be given opportunity to participate after all football is not only for the gifted or talented learners only,” said Naidoo.
The community outreach programme offered the special children an opportunity to play small sided matches, activity grids and partake in a competitive, safe and enjoyable environment under the watchful eyes of club coaches Anthony De Souza, Felix De Souza, Remus Gomes, Agustine Antao, Joyner Antao, Nicholas Falcao and Jesus D’Souza.
Earlier, the children were shown the basics of the game with safety being the priority.
Sanjay School, physical education head, Samantha said, “It was a joy to watch the children smile as they played. I’m looking forward more of such activities for our children.”
“Dempo SC was the only side to extend such an invitation to participate in the exercise. I thank the club for this initiative,” she concluded.
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