“ Soccer for all ” – Football without restrictions in “Levski-Sport for All”, “Lazio”and “ Panseraikos ”
“Soccer for All” – Football without restrictions in “Levski-Sport for All”, “Lazio” and “Panseraikos”
“Levski-Sport for All”, “Lazio” and “Panseraikos” organized a training program for football without restrictions “Soccer for All”.
“FOOTBALL FOR ALL” is a sport suitable for all ages, a special experience that can include both children and adults, men and women, skilled and less skilled players, without the need for any specific level of motor skills.
Social football rules are not only those that are usually determined by the referee during a match. In fact, according to a broader definition of the term and its meaning, social football rules should be seen as educational actions aimed at social integration, respect for values such as friendship, respect for others, and the ability to accept the final result by emphasizing the positive aspects of both defeat and victory. The role of the coach is supportive and guiding. He distributes the teams in a balanced way so that the relative weight of all teams is equal. He directs the more skilled participants to help those with more limited opportunities to feel valuable on the field.
Each partner has the freedom to choose the format and participants in the initiative. “Levski-Sport for All” has the greatest experience because years ago it participated in the development of a scientific study on the benefits and mechanisms for the development of “social football”. For this reason, it chose to include two of its smaller members, FC “Ruse” and FC “Karia” – Shabla. Families, friends, and neighbors of children training in the clubs were invited to join the activities. “Panseraikos”, just like “Levski”, is oriented towards those training in the club, by extending an open invitation to the citizens of Serres.
“Lazio” focuses on providing opportunities for children and adults with physical, motor, and intellectual disabilities
Within the framework of the one-year initiative, the partners developed a manual to assist managers and coaches in organizing “Football for All” activities and trained their team. They also organized more than 40 training sessions in the three countries with the participation of more than 180 people.
The “Soccer for All” project ended with an exciting final event on December 14th at the Cinecittà Sports Club Bettini in Rome to celebrate social inclusion through football.
The protagonist of the day was the team “The Hare and the Tortoise”, a name chosen to highlight the determination, resilience, and respect for the time and skills of each player. The team showed a great spirit of collaboration and inclusion, fully embodying the values promoted by the project.
During the event, the young people participated in a symbolic match that highlighted the value of sport as a tool for social integration, showing their motivation, determination, and sporting abilities. At the end of the game, all participants from the “Hare and the Tortoise” team were rewarded for their dedication and team spirit shown during the project.
Certificates of participation were awarded by the Chairman of the Levski-Sport for All Association, Lucien Velchev, and the President of the Lazio Foundation, Cristina Medzaroma, and wife of Claudio Lotito, the owner of the football club.
Medzaroma also received a special gift, the limited edition badge of “Levski-Sport for All”.
The Secretary General of “Levski-Sport for All”, Vanina Milanova, project coordinator and president of the assembly of the European Multi-Sports Clubs Association (EMCA), and Gabriella Bascelli, Secretary General of the Lazio Foundation and member of the EMCA Board of Directors, welcomed the participants on behalf of the 30 largest European clubs.
The project activities are funded by the Erasmus program of the European Union.
