The Namibia Football Association’s Galz & Goals project has attracted a staggering total of over 1 200 girls playing in Under 13 and Under 15 football tournaments and trained 92 coaches at five regional festivals this summer. The festivals aim to create interest for regional leagues beginning in March 2010, training coaches and the girls themselves on Healthy Lifestyles along the way.
Swakopmund
The successful youth programme, aimed at empowering young girls through participation in football leagues, has exceeded all expectations for 2009 and the NFA Women’s Desk hopes to take the programme forward in 2010 with festivals in the far north, it announced on November 24.
On her return from Erongo, the final stop of a national tour that has taken in the Khomas, Kavango, Kunene and Karas regions, NFA Women’s Desk Head Jackey Gertze, spoke of her delight at the progress made this year in girls youth football through Galz & Goals, in partnership with UNICEF and SCORE.
“Every time I think about this programme and every time we visit a new region I see how important football can be for the young girls of Namibia. We can see in the Brave Gladiators Under 20s team and the younger players already involved in football leagues in some regions, the positive change that playing the game can have on a girl’s self confidence, her appearance and her lifestyle at this age.”
Of the players on show in the five regions targeted so far, Gertze said “Through the festivals we have managed to spot a number of talented players who we will be inviting to attend an NFA training camp next year to be in with a chance to be selected for the Namibia National Team going to the Hessequa International Youth Cup in South Africa in June 2010, during the build up to the World Cup. We hope to see the standard continue to improve when the Galz & Goals’ leagues begin in March.”
Through the NFA basic coaching course delivered by FIFA Instructor Jacqui Shipanga and integrated Healthy Lifestyles workshops provided by SCORE Namibia, of which Shipanga is also National Manager, Galz & Goals has trained 92 community leaders across the country during the festival season, strengthening the grass roots technical set up of the women’s game and at the same time, helping to create a safe environment for girls to play in.
Gertze has been overwhelmed by the response from the regions, particularly the regional sports officers under the directorate of sport and vowed to continue the campaign next year. With regional leagues set to kick off in March and more festivals planned for the summer, the NFAWD Head pledged to take Galz & Goals nationwide, stating “2010 is for the far North.”