As approved by the UEFA Executive Committee last May in Bucharest, UEFA has declared Wednesday 19 May 2010 as UEFA Grassroots Day. The aim is to celebrate and recognise grassroots football programmes and activities throughout Europe during the week leading up to the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid – the first time that the European club competition final will be played on a Saturday. 

In parallel with the re-launch of UEFA’s official website uefa.com, fans, coaches and players can now visit a new website dedicated entirely to UEFA Grassroots Day.

Starting today, with the countdown of “100 days to go” until the event kicks off across Europe, www.uefagrassrootsday.com has gone live for the benefit of football enthusiasts everywhere and is focused entirely on the new footballing event that will take place on 19 May in order to celebrate the grassroots game across Europe. Placing the Grassroots Day in juxtaposition with the professional showcase match is significant because, without the grassroots game, top football could not flourish.

In addition to the main event in Madrid, the UEFA Grassroots Day website will also give UEFA’s 53 national associations an opportunity to showcase their grassroots work and to keep up date with the activities planned in their country or region. In the lead-up to 19 May, and beyond, the site will also provide educational material on key topics such as winning and losing and teamwork. Teachers, coaches and parents can access online lessons designed to aid youngsters’ understanding of values that have huge sporting, educational and social significance.

Specially designed lessons, aimed at youngsters between 10 and 14 years old, on the themes of winning and losing and team work will be available online, while parents and teachers will be able to find the material useful for engaging youngsters in discussions about issues which can have an impact on their personal development.

By becoming a registered user, schools and clubs can take advantage of the videos and games available on this interactive website, comparing their performances against those of other users via the online tables. There are also prizes to be won, including the UEFA Champions League table football games, computer games, and balls and coaching jackets courtesy of adidas.

Material from UEFA Media services
www.uefa.com