Brazilian touch for budding footballers in Zim
THE International Confederation of Futebol De Salao (ICFDS) is set to spread the Brazilian Soccer Schools (BSS) and Socatots programmes in Zimbabwe as they seek to step up junior football development in the country.
Mutare has been earmarked as a new centre for the two programmes.
BSS was initially launched in the country last year with the aim of developing budding footballers from the age of 4 to 18 years, while Socatots a soccer-based play and educational programme where parents are encouraged to participate as it is for children aged five years, will soon be launched.
BSS and Socatots publicist in Zimbabwe Lesley Gibbons, said parents were required to aid their children in training.
“In Socatots is not about grooming parents to be coaches. The parents participate in Socatots which helps to improve the child’s development especially with hand eye co-ordination for kids aged six months to five years of age,” Gibbons said.
While BSS has been introduced in a selected places, such as the Busters Sports Club in Bulawayo and in Harare where sessions have been conducted in Chisipite and Performance Hub in Groombridge, Socatots will be introduced as a new phenomenon.
In a press statement, ICFDS outlined the aims of their two programmes being spearheaded by Denzil Chalmers, a BSS coach in Zimbabwe.
“These include nurturing fit, healthy and grounded children who love soccer, technically competent players that can fully exploit their natural talent and abilities; A new breed of focused junior coaches, with a progressive and global attitude towards soccer development and enhancing commercial understanding of the business of soccer, there is so much more to soccer than kicking a football," reads the statement.
They also revealed that their programmes could go ahead despite the coronavirus-nduced lockdown through the use of online resources.
“BSS focuses on the individual in a group setting. This means that members can easily practise what they have been taught, continue learning and developing at their own pace, in their own time and in a relatively small space too.
“There is a range of video and online resources available to all children, while new members can get a taste of the programme in a similar way. This includes a BSS Home Challenge consisting of 50 drills led by UK-based Global Head Coach, Will Partington.
“Socatots kids also have online resources available to them. This includes activities for them to carry out with their parents such as making the props they need to perform certain exercises and drills. And, coming up soon, there will be a national paper ball/chikweshe/umphepha challenge.”