Yesterday, Foundation 92 Co-Founder, Nicky Butt, visited the Community Champions League supported by the EFDN and ran by Foundation 92. Nicky spoke to the over 70 participants who took part in the tournament about his Champions League experience including how it felt to lift the trophy, the importance of fair play and taking part in sport from an early age.
Supported by UEFA Foundation for children, the Community Champions League is a school football tournament with a difference. School teams play each other on and off the pitch, promoting; fair play, good behaviour, environmental sustainability, and social action. The team that finishes top of the combined community activity and football table will progress to play in the UEFA Community Champions League Finals.
The aim of the programme is to showcase that the game is #MoreThanFootball, through social action work that benefits the community across Salford. School teams gain more points for work that they do in the community than playing in the tournaments themselves. The Community Champions League tournaments are held once a month at Salford Sports Village and between each tournament, schools are tasked with completing social action projects such as litter picks and working in care homes.
Nicky Butt said: “Bringing the Community Champions League to Salford is great. It’s something different for the kids to do outside of their normal day, getting out in the fresh air, and enjoying themselves. Sport is about bringing kids together from all different backgrounds and this programme has helped to do just that.
“Growing up and becoming part of a community, it’s your responsibility to look after it, and I think it’s great that this programme encourages kids to look after our communities.
“When big organisations like the UEFA Foundation come to help in the community it’s fantastic. Helping the community is important and I think the Community Champions league is amazing in doing that.
“The Champions League itself, had a massive impact on me, from learning different cultures to experiencing new things. I’ve been lucky to travel the world through the tournament, and it’s made me a better person.”
To find out more about the Community Champions League, click here: