Spirit of Soccer in action in Moldova

With the support of the UK Embassy in Moldova and the Laureus Foundation, Spirit of Soccer held the camps to coincide with the EURO 2008 Football Championship. The camps were targeted at youngsters from culturally diverse, poor and rural locations and were hosted by seven clubs in Moldova and three clubs in the disputed Transnistria region.

streetfootballworld is a global network of organisations which use football as a tool for social development. Spirit of Soccer has been a streetfootballworld Network Member since 2007.

To read their report on our visit to Moldova, follow the link below:

http://www.streetfootballworld.org/Projects/spiritofsoccer/p_news/News.2008-09-17.5786415323

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Some of the children we trained with a Mine Risk Education poster.

“We didn’t change anything in the tragic situation of Iraq, but for a couple of hours we allowed some very brave young children to forget the situation around them. The young players showed they are very aware of the dangers of the landmines, rockets and bombs that litter their neighborhoods.

“We certainly learnt a lot of lessons which will stand us in good stead when stability eventually returns to this troubled country and we can return. We hope that will be in the not too distant future.

“Spirit of Soccer would like to say a big ‘thankyou’ to everyone who was involved and supported this pilot project, especially our fiends at the PMWRA/US State Department who provided the funds.
Special thanks go to filmmaker Doug Aubrey who took the same risks as we did to film the challenges we faced every day.

Sincerely, Scotty”

The trip was initiated by IMCO (Iraqi Mine Action NGO) and has received support and kit donations from the Iraq Football Association, the English Football Association, the US Soccer Foundation and FIFA.

PMWRA will be funding the program and logistics and security will be supplied by RONCO and the Iraqi State.

In the opening ceremony Sokhorn, the Program Manager of Spirit of Soccer, gave a few words of welcome and then introduced Mr. Yenu, the Deputy Governor of Battambang, who addressed the importance of Mine Risk Education through sports, and praised the efforts of Spirit of Soccer.

Then it was time to focus on the ball, and the kids played with all their energy in the brutal March heat.

You can read a full report on the MRE tournament by following the link below.

More Information on MRE Tournament (PDF)

Honda's donation will help us to deliver Mine Risk Education

In the first week of March 2008, Spirit of Soccer founder Scotty Lee, en route from Moldova, stopped off in London to join our trustees at the launch of Honda F1 Racing’s “Earthdreams” initiative.

Honda F1 Racing CEO Nick Fry and F1 driver Jenson Button were on hand to answer questions about the scheme which was hosted by the BBC’s John Inverdale.

The project has been set up by the Honda F1 team to promote “social responsibility” amongst businesses and Spirit of Soccer’s project in Cambodia was selected by Honda F1 to receive a donation of $50,000.

These funds will be used to increase our field staff and purchase a second 4×4 vehicle so that the team can reach more kids living in mine-polluted communities of north-west Cambodia.

They will also help to provide schools with sports equipment and increase production of educational materials promoting Mine Risk Education messages endorsed by internationally recognised football stars.

See us on Honda TV interactive via www.hondaracingf1.com

Spirit of Soccer has begun an ‘ethnic tolerance’ football coaching project working with players and coaches in Moldova and the breakaway region of Transnistria.

Towards the end of February 2008, Spirit of Soccer founder Scotty Lee was invited to the former Soviet state of Moldova to look at the possibility of running a pilot soccer program promoting ethnic tolerance between young soccer players from both regions.

The project, a partnership between Spirit of Soccer and the UK Embassy in Chisinau, Moldova and supported with additional funding from the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, enjoyed excellent working relations with the Moldovan Football Association and the coaches and players of both Tranistria and Moldova.

After a week’s travelling to observe youth development at both local and national level, a Memorandum Of Understanding was agreed upon and signed with the Moldovan FA to sponsor and implement a teacher-training programme, in the form of the Moldovan “C” license, scheduled for May 2008.

In June 2008 coaches and children from both Moldova and Transnistria will take part in a series of national soccer skills games organized by Spirit of Soccer and the Moldovan FA.

Five of the coaches were female

During the third week of January 2008, Spirit of Soccer, in partnership with the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MOYES), sponsored an AFC (Asian Football Confederation) “D” coaching license for 35 candidates.

The coaches were made up of teachers, coaches and and local social workers employed by both local and international NGO’s who were interested in adapting a football programme to the services provided to cambodian children.

Of the 35 candidates, five were female and one young coach, 17-year-old orphan Khoy from the children’s NGO Mlop Tapang, is a former drug-addict and gang member who has been on the streets since he was ten years old. His dream now is to be a professional coach.

The course was headed by Mr Nan (Cambodia’s only AFC A Licensed coach) and assisted by Mr Sam (International Liaison Officer for Spirit of Soccer, Cambodia, UEFA B coaching license).

The course, which lasted for five intensive 14-hour days, was part on the ongoing support which Spirit of Soccer has given the Football Federation of Cambodia and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, in establishing qualified coaches at the grass-roots level.

All the coaches received lessons on presenting Mine Risk Education and during the course the instructors covered elements of coaching such organization, communication, as well as addressing issues such as nutrition, fitness, child physiology and psychology, child protection and the treatment of sport injuries.

The course also provided Spirit of Soccer founder Scotty Lee and his team of coaches with an excellent opportunity to observe and select three successful candidates to join the Spirit of Soccer MRE field coaching team, and these trainee coaches will start their training in April 2008. This will increase the Spirit of Soccer field coaching team from six to nine coaches (including three female coaches) and will enable us to reach more kids living in ‘high-risk’ mined areas.

Of the 35 coaches, 30 qualified for the ‘D’ licence, although the instructors only recommended one coach to progress to the AFC ‘C’ course which will be held in Phnom Penh in May, 2008.

FIFA have recognised Spirit of Soccer's MRE curriculum

In September 2007 Federico Addiechi, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for FIFA and Juergen Greisbeck of streetfootballworld visited Cambodia to spend four days with the Spirit of Soccer MRE coaching team to observe its unique method of using the soccer to warn children of the dangers posed by landmines and ERW (explosive remnants of war).

Spirit of Soccer was one of the 27 organizations from around the world that were selected from 159 projects to become an implementing partner in the “Football for Hope” movement which celebrates and promotes initiatives that use the beautiful game to positive social change.

It’s a huge honour and testament to the excellent work of the dedicated coaches from Spirit of Soccer who visit schools located in heavily mined regions of north-west Cambodia bringing smiles and advice on the dangers of landmines and ERW to thousands of children.

FIFA and streetfootballworld have provided $38,000 till August 2008 which will be used to fund sports equipment, educational materials featuring MRE messages and courses and seminars for teacher training.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter said: “In the cooperation with organizations like Spirit of Soccer and the support of programmes that use football every day as a tool for social and human development, lies the essence of the Football for Hope Movement, and of FIFA’s social responsibility.”

“The Football for Hope Movement is the key element of the strategic alliance between FIFA and streetfootballworld. The movement aims to utilize the role of football in society in order to contribute to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

“Within the framework of the Football for Hope Movement, Spirit of Soccer has been provided with financial support by FIFA for its meritorious contribution to the field of Social Development through Football. This support and recognition in the framework of the Football for Hope Movement represent a distinction for innovative and sustainable social and human development programs working with football as the central tool in the areas of Health Promotion, Peace Building, Anti-Discrimination & Social Integration, Children’s Rights & Education, as well as the Environment.”

Sir Bobby, a former Manchester United and England soccer star, and Tony, world skateboarding

Sir Bobby Charlton visited our project in Cambodia

 superstar, interacted with the children during the coaching session then took part in the Mine Risk Education presentation, which involved some 140 participants.

The team then travelled some 40 km to a mine clearance site operated by MAG where they witnessed first hand the difficulties of disposing of these deadly threats.

Because of time constraints only Sir Bobby had the chance to enter the minefield but his team discovered two mortars, which Tony destroyed through a controlled explosion. Both Tony and Bobby were visibly shaken by this field visit as they witnessed the harsh lives that these children lead and the dangers posed to them by these weapons.

The next day Tony and Bobby accompanied Spirit of Soccer founder Scotty Lee and his coaching team to Cambodia’s National training center in Phnom Penh. Awaiting the visitors were over 100 boys and girls (including the U14 National boys team and orphanages that have received football equipment from SOS) eager to participate in a soccer skills clinic.

Bobby took over the shooting station and passed on his knowledge to the young players, which has enabled him to score so many goals for England and Manchester United. Tony gamely volunteered to take a go as goalkeeper and the kid’s shot on goal.

At the end of the session a press conference was held for both national and international media and Bobby called on governments to re-access the use of anti - personal mines and cluster munitions.

News of the visit spread throughout the world and it is important to bring attention the indiscriminate use and destruction and death caused by these weapons to our young players.