CCPA mini tournaments in Beirut

The newly started Lebanese popular clubs have since the establishment been meeting on a regular basis at self-organised mini-tournaments where the children, the parents and the trainers get the chance to make friends from other popular clubs and learn from their experiences: both on and off the pitch.

 

During December and January several tournaments have been held in regions across Lebanon – also in Beirut, where four of the popular clubs have been visiting each other to take part in the mini-tournaments.

 

 

The popular clubs from Araya, Hay el-Selloum, Baabda and Ein el-Remeneh, which are located in the suburbs of Beirut and the surrounding Mount Lebanon, have children with different political affiliations and sectarian backgrounds. In late December the popular club of the mainly Shiite area Hay el-Selloum invited the mainly Christian club of Araya and the popular club from the religiously mixed areas of Ein el-Remeneh and Chiaah to participate in a mini-tournament in Hay el-Selloum.

 

 

For several of the invited players and trainers it was their first time visit to the Southern suburbs of Beirut.

 

The kids from the 3 clubs were mixed by the coaches and divided into teams of 5 players, who played mini-football games for more than 2 hours. During this event many friendships were made between the children from the different clubs, and there was a very good atmosphere at the playground. The trainers also benefited from the meeting, where they exchanged experiences with the training and the establishment of the clubs.

 

 

The coaches agreed on organizing similar events in the future in different locations in and around Beirut.

 

 

One of these tournaments was held in Ein el-Remeneh on Saturday, January 9 where the popular club of Araya took part, and Araya will on January 17 invite some of the other newly established clubs in Beirut to participate in a tournament.

 

The dream of the coaches is to develop a fixed schedule with recurrent events – and with time also travel to other regions of Lebanon to play matches with the clubs there and meet new friends.

 

/OM & JJP