[The Inter Campus solution]

LUANDA – The pitch in Mabubas where the Inter Campus coaches work in Angola is made of hard cement with a layer of sand on top which makes it difficult to change direction but above all it damages the few balls that the coaches have to work with daily. That’s the situation as we find a group of 20 children at the pitch with two ‘normal’ balls to play with. One is a futsal ball and the other is damaged, half flat but ultimately round and still usable.

It’s difficult to set up exercises in these conditions but not impossible. If these are the ingredients, Inter Campus has the objective of coming up with the best solution possible to inspire the kids present, help them to develop as people and to aid the local coaches who work on the pitch with this equipment all year.

It takes creativity to think of games playful and active games which stimulate the group. The team is organised into sub-groups so that they’re not kept waiting and so that their technique can be evaluated to make sure it’s correct. A team game is organised which allows for repetitions of the technique in a match situation to prepare the young players for what they’ve been waiting for from the start of the session: the match! The session finishes on time have a sort of tournament with five-a-side pitches which give everyone the chance to play, try what they’ve learned, improve and enjoy themselves above all else. Even on a cement slippery pitch, with four patched up balls.

15.09.2017