Sheffield & Hallamshire FA are working in partnership with the South Yorkshire Schools’ Competition Managers to deliver Playground to Podium Football Festivals in each of the local areas.
Playground to Podium aims to develop disability sport amongst young people in order to increase participation and to improve pathways in order to enable athletes with a disability to potentially compete at a national level and ultimately reach the 2012 London Paralympics.
The following local football festivals have been run so far during the 2008/9 season:
Sheffield P2P Football Festival: Goodwin Centre, University of Sheffield on Tuesday 11th November 2008.
Barnsley P2P Football Festival: Barnsley FC Academy, Oakwell on Tuesday 25th November 2008.
Doncaster P2P Football Festival: Keepmoat Stadium, on Monday 16th March 2009.
Over 150 participants attended the first three festivals.
In addition the following festivals are due to be delivered in 2009:
Rotherham P2P Football Festival is due to be held during April 2009. Confirmation of the exact date and venue is awaited.
As a culmination to the 4 local events a regional event will be held at the English Institute for Sport/Don Valley Bowl on Friday 26 June 2009. The most talented players that attended the local events will be invited to attend the South Yorkshire P2P Festival.
For further details regarding Playground to Podium please contact your School Competition Manager. Alternatively you can contact Chris Bly, Senior Football Development Officer at Sheffield & Hallamshire FA on 0114 241 4992 or email christopher.bly@sheffieldfa.com