The Ukrainian Football Association and the Poltava Football Association, with UEFA support and approval from the regional military administration, are implementing a social project called "Open Football Lessons."

Events aimed at providing psychological support to children in wartime conditions and helping internally displaced children get accustomed and make friends took place at the Poltava Lyceum named after A. Makarenko.

Photo AFP

The school's director, Valeriy Shulga, addressed the participants and spectators with welcoming words. Physical education teacher Dmytro Fomenko introduced students to the plan for the sports event. A cheerful physical activity session by members of the student council and a performance by multiple winners of regional cheerleading tournaments—the pupils of the choreographic group "Stimulus"—added a special mood and strong desire in the lyceum students to showcase their agility, perseverance, determination, and teamwork skills.

Photo AFP

These qualities were fully demonstrated by 72 children at six separate locations: they practiced mine safety with ball handling, scored goals in "unmarked" nets, including after overcoming a barrier, performed jumps on a coordination ladder, pulled ropes, played football in teams of 6x6, and created an inflatable parachute. A significant help to the athletes along this challenging route was provided by 12 volunteer senior students.

All participants received T-shirts with the logo of the football festival. The school also received a sports inventory from the UAF and AFP as a pleasant bonus, which will remain for further use during physical education lessons and other mass sports events.

Photo AFP

Local volunteer leader Dmytro Fomenko noted, "The 'Open Football Lessons' project is about the joy of playing instead of results at any cost, fostering a healthy lifestyle, developing volunteering and active life positions among youth, and deepening knowledge of safety in wartime conditions."

The implementation of the "Open Football Lessons" project became possible thanks to the resilience and selflessness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We thank our defenders for the opportunity to learn, develop, and realize our plans in life. We will always remember those who gave their lives so that the sky over Ukraine could become peaceful, so we can enjoy every new day.

Sincere thanks to the Ukrainian Football Association and the Poltava Football Association, and personally its executive director Viktor Pozhychovskyy for the opportunity to participate in this interesting and useful project."

The "Open Football Lessons" project of the Ukrainian Football Association (Open Fun Football Schools) supported by UEFA is:

• psychosocial support for children of military personnel, internally displaced children, and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship among IDP children with local children, social integration;
• inclusive environment, participants regardless of ability level or gender, as well as the participation of children with special educational needs;
• safety knowledge in wartime conditions;
• the philosophy of mass football—joy from playing instead of results at any cost;
• fostering a healthy lifestyle;
• developing volunteering;
• activating local communities through intersectoral networks (teachers, coaches, psychologists, safety experts, parents, youth leaders, local authorities, patrons, etc.).

All project events are held in regions with the approval of regional military administrations.