In the whole world the theme of school football becomes more and more reverberatory before the beginning of a new school year. Thus, International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) appealed to Football Federation of Ukraine and asked to assist them in popularization of school football in FIFA member countries.
Impressive figures
«FIFA rates highly the experience of Ukraine as to development of school football. Our program «Football lesson at school» is considered by International Federation to be an example of work in this field, − head of FFU Organisations department Evhen Stolitenko tells. − In March I made a speech for the members of FIFA Technical Committee in Zurich where I told about Ukrainian achievements. FIFA high officials were impressed by given figures: five million pupils taking part in the program, training boys and girls starting from the first till the 12th grade in a range of 34 hours a year, professional retraining of 26 000 teachers etc».
Plan realization
«FIFA has been thinking for a long time about the necessity of introduction of Ukrainian system of school development in all countries who’s Associations are International Federation members, − Stolitenko goes on. − And recently these ideas began to come true. In the latter half of August I together with FIFA football development manager in Europe Eva Paske visited Albania and Armenia where we met the representatives of local football Associations, sport and education Ministries. It is necessary to say that both countries were interested in Ukrainian experience and decided to use it in their practice».
Important example
«Our visits to Albania and Armenia are only the first ones among numerous planned − Eva Paske takes the floor. − And we are very thankful to Football Federation of Ukraine that it helps FIFA in every possible way to popularize and develop school football in the whole world. One thing is when we come to a country and say without any real example that taking care about football brings not only more trouble, but also a lot of profits. And quite another thing when we demonstrate it by the example of successful and effective work of Ukrainian Federation and Government».
Common work
«FIFA supposes Ukraine to be the leading country in school football development. You were the pioneers on this way and now a lot of other countries want to do it like you did. For example, after our visits to Armenia and Albania the Governments and Associations of both countries decided to provide experimental projects similar to Ukrainian ones in 100 an 10 schools accordingly starting already from September 1, 2008. These are the first, but very important results of our common work».
