Last year, the Arcyzhsky municipality in Donets region became a center for sporting events for the youngest girls thanks to the implementation of the UEFA Playmakers international project. This initiative, developed by UEFA and UAF, aims to popularize football among girls using the magic of beloved Disney animated heroes.

The project, implemented at Arcyzhsky No. 5 High School and Vinogradivsky High School, gathered dozens of girls aged six to ten. Under the guidance of experienced coaches Vitaliy Migov and Oleksiy Cherkas, participants not only learned basic football skills but also delved into the world of adventures with Disney characters.

Photo by OOFA

The main feature of UEFA Playmakers is a game-based form of training instead of traditional workouts. Lessons were built around the plots of popular animated films, allowing girls to feel special and free. As true heroines, they overcame obstacles, saved friends, and completed "missions," which helped develop not only physical but also social skills such as teamwork and interaction; bravery and decisiveness; creative thinking and imagination; coordination and agility.

Photo by OOFA

Thanks to this approach, girls eagerly attended training sessions as it was not just a sports burden but also an exciting game where each could showcase herself.

The project received extremely positive feedback from participants, their parents, and coaches.

"We saw how the girls were eagerly waiting for every training session. They became more open, confident in themselves, and happily interacted with each other. This is the best result we could have achieved," — shared one of the coaches Vitaliy Migov.

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"My daughter was always a bit shy, but after the UEFA Playmakers project training she became much more confident. She enthusiastically talks about her new friends and the 'magical' football exercises. We see that sport can be not only useful but also genuinely fun. Sincerely grateful to the coaches and organizers for such a wonderful opportunity!" — noted the mother of one of the participants.

At the end of the academic year, all participants received medals and commemorative gifts, which became a pleasant bonus and motivation for continuing sports training. Many girls already showed a desire to continue playing football, which is the main indicator of the project's success.

Photo by OOFA

The UEFA Playmakers project in the Arcyzhsky municipality became not just a sporting event but a true festival that showed that sport can be accessible, interesting, and exciting for every child, regardless of their age or gender. This initiative opened new possibilities for the development of children's sports in the region and laid a strong foundation for future sporting achievements.

The goals of the UEFA Playmakers program implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association:

• To familiarize girls with football, creating an environment focused on fun, friends, and football;
• To introduce a new individual coaching approach that uses imagination (inspired by stories and characters of Disney) as a tool for training and acquiring game skills in football;
• To develop life skills, basic movement skills, and teach the fundamentals of football to foster lifelong interest in the sport.