Scottish football: Numan backs new SFA-Tesco schools initiative
Monday 8 September 2014 15:23, UK
SFA youth ambassador Arthur Numan has helped launch a new four-year Tesco Bank Football Challenge partnership with the Scottish Football Association.
He was joined by children from Mount Florida Primary school at Toryglen Regional Football Centre in Glasgow to celebrate the success of one of the Scottish FA’s flagship participation programmes.
The last four years of the programme have seen over 82,000 children across more that 2,000 primary schools in Scotland taking part. The next four years will focus on continuing to grow participation.
The new objective will ensure relationships are built and strengthened between schools and football clubs to help pupils build on their enjoyment of playing football. Further significant developments to the programme will be announced next year.
The programme recognises and rewards schools that increase participation and raise standards as well as increasing links from schools football to lifelong participation.
The Tesco Bank Football Challenge is an eight-year community programme run in partnership with the Scottish FA. The initiative introduces football to Primary Two and Primary Three children (six to eight years old) across Scotland to help get them engage in a healthy and active lifestyle.
Children participate in a six-week block of football coaching with qualified Scottish FA coaches, before participating in regional festivals across the country, many of which are held at high-profile venues including St Mirren Park, Rugby Park, and Tynecastle Stadium. A national festival at Hampden Park brings the school year of football to a memorable close.
Teachers and volunteers continue to enjoy the Scottish FA’s in-service programme with over 3,500 now trained to support the growth of football in schools.
Former Rangers defender Numan, said: “The Tesco Bank Football Challenge has encouraged more children and teachers every year to participate in football, whether that be lunchtime classes or after school clubs.
"The Challenge is not just about playing the game but opening the door to the health and social benefits that come with it. Best of all, it gets kids having fun.”
