AN initiative aimed at getting more people to play football across Glasgow has been launched with the support of UEFA EURO 2020.
The city-wide Play Your Game programme devised by Glasgow Life will seek to provide allcomers with the opportunity to take part in a series of sessions aimed at everyone regardless of ability, age or background.
A new Football Unlimited subscription service, costing £15 per month, has been launched for children aged between 18 months and 12 years old while a number of other additions, including womens only walking football and a new walking football competitions for men, have been rolled out.
Matt Ramsay, a Glasgow Life Football Development Officer, said: “It is football for all – we are catering for everybody in our sessions. And with EURO 2020 on board – all of this from kids to adult – comes the new slogan of Play Your Game.
“The idea of Play Your Game could be the mini kicker going along to the session and Play Your Game could be the parent's role of taking the kid along, of being involved and being part of EURO 2020 Play Your Game but then that parent could then be going to a walking football session, could then be taking the kids along to another session, could be watching another session, we're introducing Football Memories this year as well and I think this is just more football development, making it more affordable.”
Glasgow Life already delivers an extensive football programme with more than 100 classes in 18 venues across the city each week. The revamped Play Your Game programme will offer at least 40 additional weeks’ worth of classes per year as well as nine weeks of camps during the school holidays. Classes, which are designed to span a broad age range while catering for specialist football needs, include: Tiny Tots, Mini Kickers, Creative Player, Play The Game, Para Football, FootballFIT, Goalkeeping Soccer School, Walking Football and Football50s.
A new legacy club fund will also give youth football clubs the opportunity to apply for equipment thanks to EURO 2020's support.
“There are goals, bibs and balls available off the back of EURO 2020's support. There is an application process and we can then give out the equipment to clubs – that brings the sustainability of supporting clubs from this. With Play Your Game, EURO 2020 supporting that, Glasgow supporting, there's a trickledown effect and it will create real excitement in the city.”
Speaking at the launch of Play Your Game, Craig Brown, the former Scotland manager said: “It is a sport that can help so many people and can be a powerful way of bringing people and communities closer. With just over 100 days to go until we see one of the most iconic sporting tournaments comes to Glasgow, there is no better time for you to find your footballing opportunity within this programme. Glasgow, Play Your Game!”
Host City partner, The Scottish FA, played a significant role in developing the brand-new programme and Club Development Manager, Corrie Campbell, believes a vast array of football-based opportunities in the city will have a long-lasting impact on people’s love for the game. She said: “At the Scottish FA, we see our ultimate goal as creating football for life for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. By working closely with our partners at Glasgow Sport, we hope more people than ever in the city will get the chance to participate in football through the Play Your Game programme. Hosting a tournament like the European Championship is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we’re delighted that so many young people will get to feel part of it through this initiative.”
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