Today (Thursday 20th November), local primary school children from across Motherwell had a brilliant morning of football, as the Tesco Bank Football Challenge visited the area for an action packed festival at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility, attended by Craig Reid.
Pupils from 10 schools are the latest to have taken part in six weeks of coaching with qualified Scottish FA coaches, before participating in regional festivals across the country, many of which are held at high-profile venues including St Mirren Park, Rugby Park, and Tynecastle Stadium. A national festival at Hampden Park brings the school year of football to a memorable close.
The Tesco Bank Football Challenge is an eight-year community programme run in partnership with the Scottish FA. The initiative introduces football to Primary Two and Primary Three children (six to eight years old) across Scotland to help get them engage in a healthy and active lifestyle.
The last four years of the programme have been an overwhelming success, with over 82,000 children across more that 2000 primary schools in Scotland taking part. The next four years will focus on continuing to grow participation.
A new objective between Tesco Bank and the Scottish FA will ensure relationships are built and strengthened between schools and football clubs so that there is a clear way for pupils to progress and build on their enjoyment of playing football.
To that end, the Scottish FA and Tesco Bank will announce significant further developments to the programme in 2015.
Teachers and volunteers continue to enjoy the Scottish FA’s in-service programme with over 3,500 now trained to support the growth of football in schools.
Scottish FA Football Development Officer Stephen Hamilton said: “Our coaches have been with these children over the last six weeks and it has been great to see them improve. What better way to celebrate their Tesco Bank Football Challenge success than by meeting Motherwell star Craig Reid.”
Adele Mills, Community Investment Manager at Tesco Bank, added: “The Tesco Bank Football Challenge has had a successful four years with over 82,000 children across Scotland benefiting. Now our new partnership has been finalised we can look forward to another four years of promoting health and wellbeing to youngsters through fun filled festivals like the one at Ravenscraig today.”
The primary schools attending the festival were: Sacred Heart PS, Ladywell PS, Netherton PS, St Thomas’ PS, St Theresa’s PS, Berryhill PS, Clencrian PS, Logans PS, Muir Street PS, and New Mains PS