The UEFA PLAYMAKERS project center, implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association and the Volyn Football Association, is successfully operating at Rozhishche Children's Sports School in Volyn.

The trainings are conducted by coaches Yevgeniya Yuzvyak and Oleksandr Katerinuk, who also receive assistance from volunteers.

Yevgeniya says: "Thanks to this project, we conduct training sessions using the latest teaching methods. The main goal is to create a unique environment where football will be accessible for girls in a fun, positive and safe way."

Photo by AFV

We started with recruiting girls. We needed to expand the opportunity and access for all girls to try football. We distributed brochures at school, on the back were contact details of the coaches, and parents could call and find out more about the sessions in detail. We told them that not only boys can play football. There were many calls. For example, once a mother called and said her daughter wanted to give it a try, but you could hear from her voice that she was very worried - how would her delicate little girl manage with football. We explained about the format of the sessions, the child came, tried – and has been attending regularly since then.

Photo by AFV

At our sessions, girls always have fun and are interested. For example, they can call the coaches White Duckling and Hedgehog, one of the volunteers – Garfield Cat. If we divide children into teams, we give them an opportunity to choose names. For example, blue ones could be "Smurfs", yellow ones could be "Lemons", "Donuts", "Cupcakes"... 

One story from a father whose daughter fell in love with football but her mother signed her up for dancing and singing. The girl grew a little, and later presented the fact to her mother – I want to play football. Dad was happy and now takes both his son and daughter to football sessions.

Photo by AFV

When I am asked if it is really possible to create a girls' football team, I answer – yes! Thanks to UEFA PLAYMAKERS we have such an opportunity and we need to take advantage of this chance. Because you see girls who want to try – and that's very motivating. Thank you for this to the Ukrainian Football Association and UEFA PLAYMAKERS - and great gratitude to our defenders for being able to conduct these sessions."

Photo by AFV

The goals of the UEFA PLAYMAKERS program, implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association:

• to introduce girls to football, creating an environment for them where fun, friends and football are in focus;
• to implement new individual coaching methods that use imagination (inspired by Disney stories and characters) as a tool for training and acquiring football skills;
• to refine girls' life skills, basic movement skills and teach them the basics of football to foster lifelong interest in football.