‘Grassroots growth key for Inħobb il-Futbol Foundation’
In sync with its main goals and objectives set for the period between 2020 and 2024, the Malta Football Association had created the Inħobbu l-Futbol Foundation (IFF).
Launched as a Voluntary Organisation, the IFF was created as the development arm of the local governing body of football with the goal of implementing a performance strategy for youth development whilst supporting various grassroots initiatives to increase player participation at all levels.
“The foundation is committed to growing and improving grassroots football whilst contributing towards a positive social change and an inclusive sporting culture,” Josie Cassar, IFF’s newly-appointed Director of Administration, told the Times of Malta.
Cassar, a former player and coach herself, was deemed as the perfect candidate to take up this role when the decision was taken back in November.
Asked about what does this new role entail, Cassar said that she will be involved in the administration of various departments that make up the foundation.
“This involves liaising closely with the Heads and their teams, and supporting the various initiatives that they run within these sections,” she said.
“Given the vast areas covered by the foundation, this is an ongoing job which requires constant attention to ensure that the many projects are running in line with our overall vision and that they reflect the values that we want to project in our work.”
Since its creation, the IFF has been running several long-term projects which will allow them to reach as many participants as possible within the various focus areas.
“A favourite project that we are about to restart in February is the UEFA Playmakers initiative which introduces girls, aged five to eight, to football through play and storytelling. Each Playmaker season uses a different Disney character to bring the game closer to the participants,” Cassar pointed out.
“Another key project is the Football Hubs. Currently two distinct hubs have been created where two teams have been formed for the U-13, U-14 and U15 age-groups.
“Players are selected through a standard scouting process. Such scouting is on-going to ensure that the best players are introduced to the pathway defined by the Foundation from grassroots to elite level football.”
Cassar also added that the Foundation has also contributed to the growth of Futsal through the running of the academy.
“With the dedication and commitment of the team at the academy, the passion of the fast-moving game is being introduced to more and more youths over time,” she said.
“This has seen a positive increase in the popularity of the sport with participation rates increasing each season.”
The Football in Schools programme is another project which Cassar described as an important one as it reaches over 20,000 children through over 1,200 sessions a year.
“The sessions are held on a weekly basis in the various schools that have enrolled in this programme.
“We receive a lot of positive feedback from Football in Schools because the children love the time this gives them away from their school desks and parents are happy to see their children being offered a regular sporting activity without the need to drive them from one place to another after school hours,” Cassar said.
Most recently, the Foundation was also involved in a research project in collaboration with the Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology (MCAST).
The project is called Fun Fit 5 and its aim was to measure the benefits of offering Primary school children one 45-minute session of physical activity each weekday. The emphasis in the name and the activities offered were always on ‘fun’ and ‘fit’ with ‘5’ being the number of sessions per week.
Cassar revealed that the full results obtained from the Fun Fit 5 Research Study are being unveiled on February 2 during a symposium event being organised in collaboration with the Malta Football Association and the participating MCAST Research Team.
Montebello 19 pen., 57, 90 pen; 90+; Duranovic 22, 46 Prsa 72
BALZAN
D. Golovic, I. Bozovic, S. Arab (70 B. Hili), T. Caruana (61 O. Awosanya), P. Fenech, J. Busuttil (77 M. Grima), A. Katanic (61 G. Blackwood), N. Zerjal, N. Braunovic, O. Rommens, A. Andrejic (78 M. Aguek).
ĦAMRUN SPARTANS
H. Bonello, S. Borg, L. Montebello, R. Prsa, Elionay (63 S. Paintsil), U. Duranovic (63 S. Paintsil), Ederson, J. Corbalan, E. Marcelina (46 O. Bjelicic), R. Camenzuli, Jonny (63 Y. Nenov).
Referee Philip Farrugia.
Yellow cards Fenech.
Caruana, Arab, Elionay,
Ħamrun Spartans sent a stern warning to their rivals when they came back from a goal down to hit Balzan for seven and preserve their three-point lead over rivals Floriana.
Luke Montebello was without doubt the protagonist of the match as the Malta striker grabbed four goals to further rubberstamped his place at the top of the scorers’ list with 13 goals.
The Malta champions came into the match under pressure to win as in the early kick-off Floriana had momentarily joined them at the top of the standings following a 2-0 win over Sta Lucia.
Things seemed to get more complicated for the Spartans when they found themselves a goal behind after nine minutes.
But they refused to panic and they managed to turn the match in their favour with two goals in the space of three minutes scored by Luke Montebello from a penalty and Uros Duranovic.
Duranovic, Montebello, three times and Roko Prsa further punished an erratic Balzan defence after the break to seal an emphatic win for the Spartans who will now hope to receive some positive news on Thursday when the MFA summons the Protest Board to hear the complaint filed by Hibernians over the eligibility of Christian Rutjens.
Ħamrun threatened twice in the first two minutes.
First, Elionay found himself in space on the edge of the area but his volley finished just wide.
Then soon after the Brazilian released Uros Duranovic who was denied by Balzan goalkeeper Danilo Golovic.
However, it was Balzan who took the lead after nine minutes when Olivier Rummens punished the Spartans carelessness in midfield to play in Aleksandar Katanic and the Serbian, despite being in a closed angle, blasted the ball past Henry Bonello.
Ħamrun tried to get back into the match and they managed to draw level on 19 minutes. Duranovic fed the sprinting Ryan Camenzuli who was upended inside the area by Triston Caruana and the referee pointed to the spot.
From the spot, Montebello sent Golovic the wrong way to restore parity.
The goal sparked the Spartans to step up their game and three minutes later they took the lead.
Jonny won the ball on the far right and quickly served Duranovic who hit a rasping drive that gave no chance to Golovic.
Balzan came close to making it 2-2 seven minutes from the break when Katanic powered inside the area teed up Andreijic whose thumping drive just missed the upright.
Balzan made a disastrous start to the second half as straight from their kick off Braunovic lost control of the ball and in came Duranovic who lobbed the ball over Golovic to put the Spartans 3-1 up.
Duranovic’s goal hit hard Balzan who looked out of sorts and it was no surprise when on 57 minutes the Spartans added a fourth goal.
Jonny sped clear on the right and sent a low cross into the path of Montebello who stabbed the ball into the net.
The Spartans were in rampant form and 18 minutes from time substitute Seth Paintsil stormed inside the area and his firm drive came off the bar with Prsa nodding home from close in.
A minute from time, Ħamrun earned a second penalty when Montebello was pushed inside the area by Ivan Bozovic and the Premier League top scorer made no mistake to complete his hat-trick.
Montebello was not finished yet as in the second minute of stoppage time he pounced on an error from goalkeeper Golovic to tap the ball into an empty net for his fourth goal of the match.
Earlier, Floriana piled the pressure on Ħamrun Spartans when they scored a goal in each half to overcome Sta Lucia.
The Greens, who were coming into the match on the back of two successive defeats, enjoyed a fine start and took the lead after 28 minutes of play.
In a quick break, Mattia Veselji broke clear and slid the ball past the onrushing Celio.
Sta Lucia tried to hit back and tried to create problems to the
Veselji; De Grazia 90
FLORIANA
G. Kitanov, M. Volodjko, A. Kouros, O. Spiteri, O. El Hasni, D. Vella (67 L. De Grazia), C. Zammit Lonardelli (67 A. Garzia), M. Garcia, M. Veselji (81 K. Nwoko), U. Arias (67 U. Arias), Matheus.
STA LUCIA
F. Celio, Patrick (46 Hulk), M. Ellul, S. Xerri, J. Pisani, S. Pisani, G. Virano (64 A. Piazza), E. Gomes (46 J. Valletta), A. Temitope, S. Moracci, A. Mrda.
Referee Ishmael Barbara.
Yellow cards: Evandro, Vella, El Hasni.
Floriana defence but lacked any flair.
Just before half-time, Carlo Zammit Lonardelli threatened with an effort that was somehow kept out by Celio.
After the break, Celio came to Sta Lucia rescue when he first denied Maksim Valadsko and then was alert to again keep out Veselji’s effort.
Floriana substitute Kyrian Nwoko was unlucky not to double his team’s lead when his shot came off the woodwork.
But the Greens did seal the points in stoppage time when Lorenzo De Grazia beat Celio with a low drive.