The mark of school football

After 10 years of operation, the "School Football Program" has created a widespread impact in localities across Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: VINH HY

When it comes to school football, those involved in football in Ho Chi Minh City should be very proud, as it was the first locality in the country to successfully implement a program to integrate football into the school environment. From the 2013-2014 school year, with only 40 schools and 1,500 students, to the end of the 2022-2023 school year, there were 252 schools with over 16,000 students participating. The "School Football Program" has created a strong impact on students and parents. During training and competition, in addition to maintaining and improving health, it also educates students on discipline and teamwork. The program doesn't focus heavily on training young players; the important thing is that all students have the opportunity to get acquainted with the ball, allowing them to satisfy their passion, improve their health, and study more effectively.

Mr. Doan Minh Xuong, Head of the School Football Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation, said: “The biggest difference between the ‘School Football Program’ and other football projects is that participating schools must fully meet the requirements regarding facilities, fields, and the commitment of the school board, teachers, and parents. This is simply a playground during physical education classes; instead of having to practice other sports they don't like, students can choose football. Through this playground, professionals will also have the opportunity to search for and discover young football talents, supplementing the youth teams of Ho Chi Minh City football. This selection process is also widespread, which will encourage children to continue nurturing their passion for football.”

In fact, providing opportunities for students to play football after tiring school hours is a very common practice that any school across the country can do. However, introducing children to football in an organized, systematic way, with structured training and activities like the "School Football Program" in Ho Chi Minh City, is something not every locality can achieve. From its inception, the "School Football Program" faced difficulties and challenges, especially regarding facilities. At that time, most schools did not have the training facilities to meet expectations, and students had to train on cement or sand fields. But thanks to the efforts of those involved in school football in Ho Chi Minh City, the cooperation of schools, and the support of parents, the "School Football Program" has steadily progressed over the past 10 years and promises to continue to spread even more widely.

“This year, despite the difficulties caused by the recent pandemic, we still received enthusiastic and widespread participation from students and schools. This shows that the School Football Festival in particular and the Ho Chi Minh City School Football Program in general have become a healthy playground, loved, trusted, and anticipated annually by schools, parents, and students. Through this event, we hope that students will continue to nurture their passion and strive for an active and healthy lifestyle,” Mr. Doan Minh Xuong further shared.

HOANG ANH

Source: http://www.baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/artmid/422/articleid/64780/dau-an-bong-da-hoc-duong