UEFA-MLSZ Grassroots Programme

Hungarian Football Federation Faith and Sport Foundation UEFA MLSZ Hungarian Football Federation Faith and Sport Foundation UEFA

Children’s Homes Grassroots European Cup Programme introduction: 5. step: Children’s Homes Grassroots European Cup 4. step: Summer Grassroots Football Camp 3. step: Chance Festival 2. step: Grassroots Regional Finals 1. step: Grassroots Home Championship

The Grassroots Programme in Details: 1.: Grassroots Home Championship 2011-2012. Children from 8 foster homes played football and did sports at 5 locations once a week, for 3 months. It means that 280 children from 5 towns played football. Locations of the home championships were chosen by the geographical proximity , which is an issue due to the fact that the foster homes had to arrange and finance their own transportation.

Locations of Championships 2012

The Championships in Pictures

2.: Grassroots Regional Finals: The same locations were used for the finals because besides their proximity they had efficient gyms. Teams from neighbouring counties joined the regional finals. 600 youngsters from 40 homes took part in the games at 5 locations in 2012. (The map below shows the regions in 2012, but the empty spaces show the areas where we would like to expend in 2013-2014.)

MAGYARORSZÁG – HUNGARY Grassroots Regional Finals 2012

Pics of the regional finals

3.: The Chance Festival The participants are the winners of the regional finals. 46 youngsters participated at the First Chance Festival in Budapest in 2012. The Faith and Sport Foundation organised the festival. The teams successfully participating at the festival were invited to a summer camp by the Hungarian Football Federation.

The Chance Festival

4.: The Summer Grassroots Football Camp Location: Tiszaújváros, Date: 20-22nd June, 2012 Participants: Dunavecse Children’s Foster Home (CFH), Velence CFH., Komádi CFH., Tiszadob CFH. A total of 48 people. An important philosophy of the camp was to allow the kids to play free of pressure and without any requerements to succeed, just for the fun and joy of playing together.

5.: The Grassroots European Cup of Children’s Homes The Faith and Sport Foundation started this programme in 2000 to help international foster home groups to do sports in Hungary for 5 days. In 2012 The European Cup integrated into the Grassroots Programme, so we would like to widen the programme on the top of the imaginery pyramid together with the Hungarian Football Federation. In 2012 sportsmen from the following nations played football at the Grassroots European Cup: Romanian, Serbian, Bosnian from Serbia, Croatian, Slovenian, Bosnian, Macedonian and Hungarian, all together 100 youngsters. 1074 people took part in the programme in 2012. The European Cup has been expanding throughout the years by other European nations, so in 2013 in addition to all the above mentioned nations Danish, Russian, German, Polish and Slovakian foster homes will have been participating for the second time with the Grassroots Programme.

Grassroots European Cup for Foster Homes

About the future In 2013-2014 we would like to expand the areas of the home and regional champoinships. We would like to increase the number of locations of the regional finals. Given the possibility we also wish to involve more and more foster homes to the Grassroots Programme.

Media The Faith and Sport Foundation puts a lot of emphasis on the media representation of the Grassroots Programme. The Grassroots Regional Finals and the European Cup was broadcasted by: Székesfehérvár TownTV Somogy TV Kecskemét Town TV TiszavasváriTV Nyíregyházi Kölcsey TV UEFA reporters Sport 1 TV Duna TV Local and county papers.

The Aim of the Programme According to the UEFA and the MLSZ: regular physical exercise, playing football joyful and happy football creating and financing opportunities

The Aim of the Programme According to Kálmán Radics the president of the Faith and Sport Foundation: Our foundation agrees and identifies with the aims of the UEFA and the MLSZ. The sportpedagogic values of football (such as the ability to fight,selflessness, steadiness, personal and team building and learning to deal with success or failure)should be embraced by the individual as a sportsman. So the whole programme is especially important for the foundation, because with its help these children with no families have a better chance to become stronger and better people for their own good as much as for the benefit of the whole society. In addition to all this the Grassroots Programme not only educates but it also entertains which might be the most important for kids.

Faith and Sport Foundation Web: Facebook: Twitter: Flickr: Radics Kálmán president

Thank you for your attention!