Free Eastern Melbourne Soccer Schools' fun program and Small-sided tournament

Our project involves delivering four weeks of FREE in-school soccer training to local primary school children that culminates with an inter-schools' tournament. The program, which has been successfully piloted by us, will be delivered to approximately 4,000 Primary School children across the region during school term.
Program delivery will be undertaken by high level male and female role model qualified coaches, through the school’s weekly Physical Education classes during school hours. The final phase of the program will be an inter-school tournament involving all the participating schools. Schools and students have to date shown tremendous interest during our many pilots.

The project will allow thousands of children to gain increased exposure and confidence playing an active sport with qualified coaches. A handful of children already experience this, but thousands don't given lack of parental support or low socio-economic status including many recent immigrants and refugees. Participating in regular sport means the children will reap the benefits of physical activity, community inclusion, networking, self-esteem, etc. Many will then feel confident to join other sporting organisations to participate longer term. This will occur proactively or via connections they will make. Teachers will also learn how to run these sessions for repeated implementation.