In the Vinnytsia region, the Ukrainian Football Association is continuing to search for young football talents as part of a pilot project under FIFA's Talent Development Scheme.

We remind you that the UAF focuses on identifying young talents through testing their natural physical abilities and providing further organizational support for their development.

In Tulchin, 290 children born in 2012-2015 from various educational institutions participated in the event. They tested their skills in a variety of sports tests at the local DYSK stadium. Nine communities from the district were represented: Brichevsky, Pishansky, Kryzhopilsky, Tulchinsky and others.

Photo by VOAF

At the opening ceremony, a local dance group — winners of the district stage and prize-winners at the oblast stage of President's project "Shoulder to Shoulder. All-Ukrainian School Leagues" — performed. Honored guests at the sports event included the head of Tulchyn District Military Administration Oleksandr Havyliuk, his deputies Volodymyr Skaliy and Serhiy Chepranaty (head of the Tulchyn District Football Association), vice president of DYSFL Ukraine Valeriy Zolotukhin (curator of the UAF pilot project to search for football talents), manager of Vinnytsia Oblast Football Association Viktoriya Smytanuk, director of the orphanage school with enhanced sports training Mykola Khlivniuk, director of the orphanage school Vladimir Yurkyvskyi, acting head of the humanitarian department of Tulchyn District Military Administration Natalya Spravnik and director of Tulchyn DYSK in the education department Alim Chorniy.

Photo by VOAF

After the traditional performance of the Ukrainian anthem and a moment of silence for fallen soldiers, the head of the district football Sergiy Chepranaty addressed all participants with welcoming words. Oleksandr Havyliuk also thanked parents and teachers who inspire children to engage in sports. The entire football community congratulated him on his birthday.

Valeriy Zolotukhin demonstrated the stages of testing to students and thanked those present at the sports event. Since participation in FIFA's Talent Development Scheme helps develop children in sport, he expressed gratitude for their involvement.

"All participants of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme project are already winners. Thank you for choosing football as your development path," Valeriy Zolotukhin said to young athletes.  

All communities in Tulchyn that participated in the project received a gift package of balls from UAF and sports equipment. Children were also presented with certificates for completing the testing and commemorative medals.

Photo by VOAF

Background Information

Despite the most challenging period for our country, the Ukrainian Football Association has become one of FIFA's member associations participating in its new talent development program (FIFA Talent Development Scheme).

The author and main coordinator of the program is renowned coach Arsène Wenger, head of FIFA’s global football development department. He insists that giving a chance to every talent, regardless of where and when they were born, should be a strategic activity and responsibility of each national association around the world (with centralized support and leadership at the global level from FIFA). The launch of the program was preceded by an extensive global process of researching the environment in each of the 211 member associations of FIFA.

Photo by VOAF

As part of a pilot project to implement the talent development program, UFA has focused on identifying young talents through testing their natural physical abilities and providing further organizational support for the development of identified potential talents. This process must certainly be nationwide. However, at this stage — regional level, specifically — OTHs (Territorial Communities), towns, and villages whose children have never been involved in similar testing or organized football processes.

The main tool of the project is an analytical system specially developed for testing children aged 8-12 to assess their physical abilities and potential development if they are engaged in a professionally organized training process. Both boys and girls are included in the program.