By Dempo SC Media

GOA: Dempo Sports Club organised their second community outreach programme for special children of Sanjay School, Mapusa at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Tuesday.

About 100 boys and girls in the age group of 8-15 participated in the special programme and got a unique opportunity to play for the first time on the artificial turf.

Dempo SC general manager, Wilfred D’Souza said, “ this is our first step towards providing as many sporting opportunities to our children. I’m happy and proud that our youth development team took the Dempo thinking to the special children”

“Our programme will give every child an equal opportunity to be part of the beautiful game. This is surely not going to be the last of our outreach initiative as I see lot of potential for these children to come to main stream football,” said D’Souza.

Dempo Sports Club took distinct initiative to take the beautiful game to the Special children, as the Teams Technical Director Katz Naidoo believes ‘football is for all’.

“Every child must be given opportunity to participate after all football is not only for the gifted or talented learners only,” said Naidoo

The community outreach programme offered the Special children an opportunity to play small sided football matches, activity grids and partake in an competitive, safe and enjoyable environment under the watchful eyes of club coaches Anthony DeSouza, Felix De Souza, Remus Gomes, Agustine Antao Joyner Antao, Nicholas Falcao and Jesus D’Souza.

Earlier the children were shown the basics of the game with safety being the priority.

Sanjay school, Physical Education head, Samantha said “It was a joy to watch the children smile as they played in the beautiful game. I’m looking forward more of such activities for our children,”

“ Dempo SC was the only side to extend such an invitation to participate in this exercise. I thank Dempo Sports Club for this initiative,” she Concluded.

“Admin Manager Nicholas Falcao and Youth Team manager Jesus DeSouza excellently coordinated the one day programme and ensured all needs were in place. They made it successful,” said the technical director.