Street Football in East Ayrshire gets more kids playing more football more often, but it is also giving them the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to train for a week with their heroes, courtesy of Kilmarnock FC’s StreetSport Icon.

At a one-off event at Netherthird on the 28th and 29th July 12 lucky winners will be selected from local Street Football sessions to train for a week with the Kilmarnock players and coaches as they prepare for their 2009/2010 SPL season.

Kilmarnock players Manuel Pascali and Steven Old dropped in to a Street Football session in Crosshouse to tell the young players about  StreetSport Icon, and take part in some of the small sided games.

The Scottish FA’s street football programme, funded by Cashback for Communities, gives 10-18 year-olds across the country the opportunity to drop into their local Street Sport cage and play small sided games for free. In areas without a Street Sport cage mobile football pitches are used to make sure the game is accessible to everybody.

In East Ayrshire one session of free Street Football takes place every week at 22 StreetSport cages, as part of the partnership between the Scottish FA and East Ayrshire Council.

Youth Sport Development Officer Craig Fulton told www.scottishfa.co.uk of the amazing opportunity available to local youths.

“We have a number of these cagess around the region and we are trying to encourage the local kids to make good use of them.


 

“The kids who come along love it and we have kids from 10 to 18 playing at each session. But it’s kept competitive, and everyone gets their fair share of playing time.

“We really want to get the message out that this is available, supervised and it’s free.

“And if they sign up to the Netherthird event they have the chance to win a place on Kilmarnock FC’s pre-season training. If they impress the coaches there who knows, maybe they could win even more.”

Kilmarnock midfielder Manuel Pascali said:

“It is important in our role as players at Kilmarnock FC that we get into the area and show the kids that we are normal people who care about the place.

“It’s great to see so many youngsters down here and enjoying playing the game. That’s the most important thing at this age. They have to get enjoyment out of it.”

For more information on ‘Kilmarnock FC’s StreetSport Icon’ or to register a team please contact Craig Fulton, on 01563 576871.