'Futura Afición' heads to RC Celta to learn about and put into practice the positive values of football

The RC Celta youth academy enjoyed a new session with the LALIGA club's 'Futura Afición' project yesterday afternoon. This is the educational programme that FUNDACIÓN LALIGA has been developing over the last nine years with the aim of teaching children about the positive values of sport. With the collaboration of the host club's Foundation, the Estadio Abanca Balaídos hosted various educational workshops to raise awareness and understanding about discrimination in football and unsportsmanlike behaviour.

The event began with a welcome address by RC Celta board member Miguel Álvarez, RC Celta board member and former player Sergio Álvarez, and Olga de la Fuente, Director of FUNDACIÓN LALIGA, who highlighted the importance of developing this type of fun and informative workshop to shape the fans of the future from the grassroots of the clubs, through extremely practical and enriching sessions for the participants.

A total of 50 children from the Alevín (10-11 years old) and Benjamín (8-9) categories of the Canteira Celeste completed several challenges where reflection on the implementation of positive values, as well as the internalisation and identification of other conflict situations, were the main themes of the session. They also participated in the module 'Out of the Game - Bullying at School', one of the new elements of 'Futura Afición' this season. In this section, the participants developed a series of educational exercises that delve into the characteristics of the problem, which is increasing among children and adolescents.

After a day full of fun, learning and group work, the children concluded the workshop with a final reflection, as they displayed murals with messages that each of the groups had made, as well as a giveaway of footballs and other prizes.

Olga de la Fuente thanked “the great engagement of LALIGA clubs with the 'Futura Afición' project, supporting the commitment and common goal of working to raise awareness and understanding to eradicate violence in football.” She also encouraged the participants to "take the values learned beyond the football field, and apply them at home and in school, making the message of the programme even greater.”

Miguel Álvarez stressed the importance of this project "to shape what will be the fans of the future, but also of the present,” and thanked FUNDACIÓN LALIGA for the effort made to organise these workshops on respect, education, sportsmanship and tolerance among its youngest players.

In turn, Sergio Álvarez added that  “‘Futura Afición' is a magnificent opportunity to consolidate and promote the knowledge and messages that are conveyed in the youth academy training sessions. There is plenty still to work on when it comes to positive values, but we are on the right track thanks to these initiatives.”

This visit is another of the new features this season, to give LALIGA clubs special relevance by holding different educational workshops in their sporting facilities, with the aim of having an impact on their grassroots football teams and academies.

These activities, in addition to those carried out by LALIGA clubs, will be directed, as in previous years, at primary school children from 3rd to 6th grade. They will be based on gamification and interaction as tools to convey messages, through completely revamped challenges and games, as well as activities that encourage participation and reflection. More than 75,000 participating children and 500 schools have taken part in the nine editions held so far.

The 'Futura Afición' materials, project information and the registration form are available at www.futuraaficion.com.