30,000 children play football in Hungarian Football Federation programme

The OTP Bank Bozsik programme has set a record for participation levels in the kindergarten age group during the 2016/17 season. 30,574 children from around 1,500 kindergartens have been involved in the initiative organised and overseen by the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ – Magyar Labdarúgó Szövetség) Grassroots department, MLSZ’s press release said.

Five years ago there was a total of 8,986 children from 339 kindergartens taking part in football-themed events and festivals but the development since then, particularly in the last year-and-a-half, has been spectacular; since September 2015 as many as 500 new kindergartens and 10,000 young children have been added to the sport’s participation figures. Twenty-three countryside cities are represented in the Bozsik programme to the tune of 8,602 children from 410 kindergartens, while from Budapest 3,299 young children from 188 institutions are already kicking footballs.

MLSZ offical side said, as part of the programme, kindergartens undertake to hold a football session at least once every week with at least ten participants. The primary aim of the sessions is – in accordance with the UEFA Grassroots programme – to enhance the groups’ experiences of joy, exercise, sport and of coming to love football. The MLSZ provides a publication to each institution which includes tasks and exercises to continually help improving skills. In addition, these responsible adults can participate in a free, voluntary, 16-hour training course as well as taking the opportunity to gain their Grassroots level C coaching qualification.

Photo: MLSZ.hu

Source: MLSZ – Press release