Visiting FIFA Ambassador Carolina Morace spent Thursday and Friday helping both young and old students of the game of football.
Morace – a former Italian women’s international and the first woman to coach a professional male side – is in New Zealand as a FIFA Ambassador along with former New Zealand international Michelle Cox and Oceania Player of the Century Wynton Rufer.
After making stops in each of the other six federations over the course of the last two weeks, Morace’s whirlwind tour of the country saw her visit Glendowie College on Thursday morning.
In the classroom discussion, Morace and Cox explained the physical benefits of playing football for girls and outlined the opportunities available to players via the game such as athletic scholarships to attend universities.
At the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Conference Room on Thursday evening Morace gave a theory presentation to elite coaches in the region on the tactical implementation of the Italian 4-4-2 playing formation. The former Italian senior women’s coach concentrated one the defensive roles of the players.
Then on Friday morning Morace and Cox were joined by Rufer at Epsom Normal Morace and Cox at Glendowie College on Thursday Primary School where they spent time on the practise field with Rufer giving the children some hints and tips on how to improve their game.
Morace, also a qualified lawyer, was in New Zealand for the FIFA Ambassadors Tour which is linked to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup which begins next week.
Story courtesy www.aucklandfootball.org.nz
