Andriy Hushyn Memorial in Chernivtsi Oblast: tournament in two age categories and construction of a new playground
Hostyna — one of the four centers of the UEFA PLAYMAKERS project created in Rivne Oblast.
Photo ROAF
Goshcha — one of the four centers of the UEFA PLAYMAKERS project created in Rivne Oblast. The local community is supported by coach Yuriy Roman, who implements the project organized by the Ukrainian Football Association and the Rivne Regional Football Association.
After successfully completing another cycle, the trainer shared his impressions: "Personally, I find it very interesting to participate in this project. Since 2007, I have been working at a Sports School for Young Athletes (DSYS), and since 2016, I have also been teaching physical education. At DSYS, we recruit slightly older girls for the football department. However, UEFA PLAYMAKERS allows us to attract younger girls to football through non-standard approaches. This is important from a professional perspective because the earlier a child learns the basics of football, basic movements, and principles, the easier it will be to work with them in the future."

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For our sports school, this project has been very relevant because after completing its cycle, the girls show a desire to attend DSYS training sessions. In fact, over 20 lessons, they get acquainted with football in game form and are then drawn into it, allowing us to continue working with them later.
All participants and their parents know about our futsal team 'Goshanochka', the successes we have achieved in Ukraine. Most parents know that many of our school's graduates now play football at a high level for professional clubs.

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Of course, not all girls will grow up to be professional football players, but they have a clear example that it is possible, which inspires them. Someone's neighbor played for 'Veres' and now plays for 'Polesye', someone's sister is currently playing in the Donetsk 'Shakhtar'. All these girls were called up to various age categories of Ukraine's national team. They are all our graduates, we have a lot to be proud of, so this is what we talk about during sessions to inspire, captivate, motivate and encourage children to continue playing football after completing the project cycle.

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"As a father of three daughters, it's very pleasant for me to watch my youngest daughter, Tetiana, play football and how she approaches training with determination. Fifteen years ago, I played at an amateur level myself. Today, children have more opportunities to realize themselves in this sport, especially girls."
The project has sparked interest in football for my daughter, so we signed her up for a football section in the Goshcha DSYS as well. The most important thing is that she enjoys it. She eagerly awaits training sessions and returns with a smile and happiness. As her father, I am pleased that she finds football interesting and has an aptitude for it," — noted one of the participants' fathers, Leonid.

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Goals of the UEFA PLAYMAKERS program implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association: