Portlaoise AFC Football For All (FFA) held their first ever Easter Camp during the mid-term break and was attended by 13 children. Our footy parents must have made bonfires with the candles they lit in the hope for good weather and it paid off! Over 3 days players enjoyed a mix of working on their football skills, playing matches and of course fun.
There were nail biting penalty shoot outs, shredded nerves on balance beams, accuracy shots through tunnels, football bowling and matches where the natural competition came out in the players and they had they opportunity to show off their brand new skills. Every day was finished with their favourite game of Duck Duck Goose and what was left of their energy was spent on the rainbow parachute.
Our Camp was very generously supported by George Percy of Disability Consultancy Services (DCS). George's company provides training in all aspects of disability awareness to both employers and their staff. They provide training courses for people with disabilities to empower them with the skills to be able to integrate into mainstream society and the workplace and they provide training courses for Architects and Planners to assist them when preparing plans so that all buildings are totally accessible to ensure access for people with disabilities. Thanks to DCS all players now have brand new rain jackets and beanie hats!
FFA was started at the Club almost 2 years ago and has grown to 15 members. We coach children with disabilities to play football in a pan disability environment thus bringing together children from different sections of our community who's paths might not normally cross. The Camp was organised by Manager Ger Brown and his assistant coaches Ciara Fogarty, Dylan Brown and Aaron Adams. However they could not have pulled it off without the assistance and coaching skills of Tristian Bergin and Gavin Molloy. By the end of the 3 days everyone involved was knackered and happy so our mission was accomplished.
We are always looking for volunteers and indeed more players. We train every Sunday at Portlaoise AFC from 10 to 11am so you are more than welcome to join us. We also have a Disability Workshop hosted by the FAI's Football For All Co-Ordinator Oisín Jordan, that will run over two evenings, on the 19th and 26th of April from 6:30pm to 9pm. The workshop is free to attend and would be of benefit to existing coaches, referees, teachers, SNA's or individuals interested in working with children with disabilities. If you would like to register for the Workshop please email ciarafogarty07@gmail.com.