Blind soccer promotion project in Sudan
Reporter: Mohamed Omar Abdin
Ⅰ. Overall Outline of the Whole Project
Project name: Blind soccer promotion project
Location: state of Khartoum, Sudan
Term: 1.9.2007- 22.9.2007
Purpose:
・ To introduce blind soccer to blind people in Sudan, and hold seminar to play for blind and able-bodied.
・ To introduce blind soccer to the Association of Soccer in Sudan and member of Sudan Football Academy, and request to support.
As a first step of the project, it was planned to hold a meeting with member of Football Academy to request to stage seminar or lecture.
After success of these events, practical lecture will be held.
As a result, 3 events below were implemented during the project term.
・ Seminar of blind soccer at Ernur blind school
・ Meeting and Seminar with Blind Football Academy in Sudan
・ Promotion event of blind soccer and practical lecture
Ⅱ. Seminar of blind soccer at Ernur blind school
The seminar of blind soccer was held at Ernur blind school on September 9. Though practice lecture was planned at first, it was cancelled. Around 25 students attended.
Firstly the students of the school touched a special ball for blind soccer, which makes sound with moving. The students really like soccer and showed strong interest in blind soccer too, asking lots of questions. After that 3 balls for blind soccer were donated to the school, and the seminar finished.
【Evaluation of the seminar 】
Positive result
・successfully introduced blind soccer to Ernur blind school
・recognised students’ interest in blind soccer
・donated 3 balls for blind soccer which will help sustainable blind soccer activity at the school
【Negative result】
・ failed to hold practice lecture
・ had no opportunity to explain blind soccer to athletic teachers
・ failed to request the school to have athletic class in school curriculum
【After the project】
The most important finding through this project was strong interest of students in blind soccer. However, the situation in practicing it in Ernur blind school is quite hard; the school has no athletic class and athletic teacher, occasional sports time has just started recently but the coach is voluntary staff without specialties. It is strongly required to create an environment for blind soccer and satisfy students’ enthusiasm.
Ⅲ. Meeting and Seminar with Blind Football Academy in Sudan
On September 8, the meeting was held with the Football Academy which affiliates the Association of Soccer in Sudan. The aim of this meeting was to introduce blind soccer and request technical and financial support. As a result of warm meeting, it was decided to hold seminar to introduce blind soccer to media.
On the seminar, 20 people including 8 blind joined, such as vice president of Paralympics association, retired representation player from Sudan, assistant of director general of Football Association, announcer of soccer TV program, officer in charge of Ministry of sports.
In the seminar, the history and rule of blind soccer were introduced with promotion video. After that we introduced CAPEDS and requested support for promotion of blind soccer.
Questions focused on institutionalization of blind soccer. Officer of Ministry of Sports positively offered their help at the end of the seminar.
Ⅳ. Promotion event of blind soccer and practical lecture
On September 11, the promotion event was held to introduce blind soccer.
From the next day of the event, practical lectures were held three times at the ground of Basketball Association in Sudan.
Contents of the lecture was jogging, basic practice, 1 on 1, and finally the game
It took about 2 hours, and around 15 people including blind and others joined each day.
【Evaluation of the practice lecture 】
Positive outcome
・ The lectures were successfully held 3rd times during Ramadan, when people often play futsal.
・ Overall 12 blind and 6 non-blind had an experience to play blind soccer.
・ Players improved their skill of blind soccer through practice.
・ The lecture appears to have established foundation of the first blind soccer team in Sudan.
【Problems We Face】
・ Sudan has only around 3 grounds for futsal with enough equipment. The project next time and successive play of blind soccer needs to find a place to play appropriately.
・ 80% of attendants of the lecture were short of exercise, and not interested in basic training like jogging. Though they are so enthusiastic about playing game, it needs to hold proper and fun basic training in contents.
Ⅴ. Evaluation of the overall project
It was pretty fair ‘kick-off’ to promote blind soccer in Sudan. The noticeable points in the project were that 25 blind students in blind school attended the seminar, practical lectures were successfully held with 12 blind and 6 non-blind people, and that key people concerned to promote blind soccer had a contact to the project. This favorable result will help to establish the foundation of blind soccer in Sudan.
The big issue is institutionalization, meaning whether we should establish the association of blind soccer, or belong to the Association of Paralympics. Cooperation with appropriate institution will accelerate promotion of blind soccer in Sudan.