ALF Soccer Academy x CCSP Comes To A Close!
- lightfoundation
- Dec 12, 2024
- 2 min read
The ALF Soccer Academy has just wrapped up its five-week training program, and ALF is beyond happy to reflect on what an amazing journey it’s been. Thanks to the support of The Social Policy Group Community & Cohesion Support Program (CCSP), we were able to consecutively bring together 14 youth aged 12-17 from diverse backgrounds, including Turkish, Albanian, Somalian, Pakistani, Lebanese, Palestinian, Ethiopian, and Eritrean communities.
Over these weeks, the youth came together to train their footballing abilities, make friends, and grow as individuals. It wasn’t just about the game—it was about learning teamwork, respect, and the value of understanding others. Coaches Ibrahim, Yusuf, and Adem worked as a strong coaching unit to balance soccer drills with meaningful discussions about topics like unity, being a strong Australian Muslim, and the importance of helping others.
One of the highlights was seeing participants step up as captains and role models. This gave them a chance to build leadership skills and set an example for their teammates. By the end of the program, the group had bonded well, and it was great to see their confidence grow both on and off the field. The coaching staff achieved this by running a younger age group academy of ages 7-10 whereby the senior squad was their captains and leaders during the beginning of the training sessions learning to listen, care and be able to connect with others of different ages.
The feedback has been fantastic. The participants and their families really appreciated having a safe and welcoming space where youth could learn, play, and connect. The program was a reminder of how important it is to support our youth and help them feel part of a strong community. It also reminded us that having fun and developing skills around your hobbies are really crucial in building youth personality and strong self identity. The confidence of being able to be themselves, confident in their skin, and learning at the same time was the highlight of the coaching staff!
While this program has ended, the impact it’s left is clear. We hope to build on this experience and continue offering opportunities like this in the future. A big thank you to everyone who made this possible, especially the coaches, participants, and our wonderful community. The coaches may go on to organise future sessions and programs as their has been significant interest from players and parents. Please enjoy some shots of our training program over the course of 5 weeks.
ALF Soccer Academy signing off for 2025.
One, Two, Three, ALF!
This is now the third installment of the CCSP Youth Grant following the Youth Dinner, Youth BBQ with the Community. However ALF is still not finished with our youth, be on the lookout for updates for the Youth Only BBQ, Youth Iftaar and Barista/Food Handling Training for Youth.
The ALF Soccer Academy's initiative seems to foster a sense of community among youth from diverse backgrounds, which is commendable. However, one must consider whether this program might inadvertently reinforce stereotypes about youth engagement. The Pokies could provide an interesting contrast, as they often unveil the darker side of youth leisure activities, emphasizing the importance of positive engagement through sports over potentially harmful alternatives.
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