The Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN) has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s football development. Known as the School to Football Pitch Programme, this project seeks to create a structured pathway for nurturing young football talents across the country.
Programme Overview
The initiative involves deploying qualified Ex-Internationals and Ex-Footballers to:
Primary schools
Junior secondary schools
Senior secondary schools
Private schools
These experienced professionals will serve as football instructors, teaching the game as an academic subject.
Capacity Development
To ensure effectiveness, PFAN has arranged for periodic training and retraining sessions for the instructors. These sessions will be facilitated by experts from South America and Europe, focusing on global best practices and advanced methodologies in football coaching.
Talent Identification and Development
The programme will include:
Reinvented Principals Cup: A revitalized competition for school teams to foster talent discovery.
Age-Grade Championships: Additional platforms for spotting promising young players.
Partnership and Collaboration
PFAN has sought the support of:
National Sports Commission: The idea was well-received by its Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, during PFAN’s recent visit.
Federal Ministry of Education: The programme will be established as a tripartite project among PFAN, the National Sports Commission, and the Ministry.
Alignment with National Goals
The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s sports economy. PFAN is committed to advancing the three R’s:
Reset
Refocus
Relaunch
The goal is to transition Nigeria’s sports focus from being competition-driven to development-driven and from consumption to production.
Call to Action for Ex-Footballers
PFAN urges Ex-Internationals and Ex-Footballers to prepare for mass participation by updating their certifications. This programme promises to be a cornerstone in repositioning Nigerian football.
Prince Harrison Jalla
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