Draperstown Celtic has been named The Co-operative Insurance Football Development Centre Monthly Award winner for March 2010.
The Co-operative Insurance Football Skills Development Centre won a bag of coaching equipment including footballs, bibs, discs, mini-goals, hurdle cones, poles and first -aid bag provided by The Co-operative Insurance, sponsor of The Co-operative Insurance Football Development Centres.
Draperstown Celtic Co-operative Insurance Football Skills Development Centre, now in its fourth year, caters for over 50 children from the Draperstownarea under the guidance of Co-ordinator Paul McCallion and his team of volunteer coaches.
Paul was delighted to receive the reward: “It’s great news that our centre has won the March monthly award and the fantastic equipment that The Co-operative Insurance has provided will be put to very good use.
“The centre introduces children to football and helps them develop their skills, have fun and make new friends, whilst teaching them important qualities such as respect, discipline and teamwork. By introducing them to the fundamentals of football and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, we hope that they will develop and progress as promising young footballers.”
The Co-operative Insurance Football Development Centres is one of the central programmes within the Irish FA’s Grassroots Development Plan and provide boys and girls, aged from 6 to 12, with the opportunity to play football and develop their skills regardless of ability.
The Co-operative Insurance Football Development Centres is now in its second year with separate centres across Northern Irelandfocussing on either the skills or games element of a young player’s football development.
There are currently 59 Co-operative Insurance Skills Development Centres across Northern Ireland catering for 5,460 children (4,642 boys and 818 girls) with 14 Co-operative Insurance Games Development Centres catering for 3,101 children (3,000 boys and 101 girls).
Aileen Walters, Sponsorship Manager for The Co-operative Insurance, added: “We fully support the Irish FA’s grassroots coaching emphasis on small-sided football and skills development. Small sided-games provide a more enjoyable experience for children, more time on the ball means more fun and the increasing numbers of boys and girls taking part supports this.
“The programme has provided coaching to around 8,500 boys and girls across Northern Irelandand this gives us an excellent platform to extend our strong tradition of supporting football at grassroots level across theUK.”
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For further information on The Co-operative Insurance Football Development Centres, please contact Ian Stewart, National Co-ordinator for The Co-operative Insurance Football Development Centres on Tel: 028 90 669 458 or Email: istewart@IrishFA.com.
