MARGAO: The well-known Fabiana’s Sports Academy, Margao, launched its Grassroots Programme with head coach former international football player and coach Cowan Laurenco at several South Goa schools and Fatorda.
Griffin, Promoter of the Academy, stated that the objective is to give kids the opportunity to learn, love and play the game week in and week out. All children’s football is grassroots and as such it lays the foundation of the sport. Children from 6 to 12 years of age form the golden age of learning for young boys and girls with grassroots being the building blocks of a footballing system where participation rather than competition is encouraged, reasoned out Griffin.
“We need to grow a new generation of players that start playing football from a very young age with the common goal being the foundation. Kids from 6 to 12 need physical activity to build strength, stamina, coordination, confidence and to lay the ground work for a healthy lifestyle,” stressed Griffin.
“Our programme is aimed at encouraging participation, promoting a love for the game, introducing the skills and basic concepts for a new generation of players. It will lay emphasis on integration and social skills which are fundamental. Producing star players is a by-product of grassroots as elite development is the responsibility of clubs,” pointed out Griffin.
Head coach Cowan explained that the programme which has been a great success in South Goa, with the Sirvodem women’s team participating in the IWL, caters to all children especially the disadvantaged ones and is aimed at promoting principles of Fair Play, building personality and confidence, inspiring team work. It introduces values, personal development, values applicable to life and thus improves self esteem, confidence. Also the children learn the values of discipline, learn to set goals, learn values through experience.
The children will have fun as they go through the sessions, enjoy experience with friends, improve physical competence, attain social acceptance. We start with fun games followed by small sided games and then real games. It is a process which will be followed by Golden Baby Leagues with exchange programmes between Mumbai, where an academy is also being set up and Goa for exposure and experience.
The programme will be monitored on an individual basis with experienced coach Joslin Fernandes monitoring it personally with session plans as per the standardised syllabus and curriculum. Later on, AIFF Executive Committee member, ex-international Climax Lourenco will also be engaged in the programme which will be made affordable for talented boys and girls.
