The club will put on the 90-minute sessions every Saturday morning and basic football skills such as passing, ball control and playing as a team will be passed on by some of Amicale’s first-team stars.
The first session was held last Saturday at Antoise Rossi Field and included the coaching of former Solomon Islands international Batram Suri, local hero Fenedy Masauvakalo, defender Richard Anisua and several of the club’s other top players.
Technical director William Malas says the aim of the programme is to sow the seeds for a lifetime of good health.
“It’s about fun, learning skills and providing the kids with a positive experience,” he says. “It’s also about being social and meeting children from different backgrounds. There are lots of nationalities coming so the children can make friends with people from all over the Pacific.”
The feedback from the participants so far has been positive.
“It was awesome,” 10-year-old Kiki Ding says. “I had so much fun and learned lots of new skills. There was some good advice and it should make us all better players when we grow up.”
The Amicale youth development programme is sponsored by Au Bon Marche and Twisties and is being run in conjunction with the OFC ‘Just Play’ programme.
‘Just Play’ is a unique grassroots initiative which promotes physical activity for primary-aged children while encouraging community involvement and healthy living.
For more on Vanuatu football go to www.vanuafoot.vu