News and Notices :::
Police Defence Breached By Local Youths
16 May 2009
For the previous eighteen months or so, Faith & Football – the Portsmouth based Christian charity, has been operating Friday night football Leagues for inner city youngsters. Organised in association with the Landport & Buckland Neighbourhood Management Scheme, the community leagues aim to provide a safe place to engage with the local youth population.
During this time Faith & Football has developed strong relationships with many of the teenagers who participate – this engagement with challenging young people has led to the formation of an eleven a side team, a squad of 15 youngsters has become the glue to stick everyone involved together for an amazing life journey. The destination for these kids is a place of self worth, where they can demonstrate good discipline and exercise proper self-control. It has also become a search for spiritual truth.
A football match is a perfect environment to evaluate the progress of developing life skills, for these youngsters who have an average age of 15 a full on game against the local Police team would serve not only as a measurement of self discipline and control but test also their ability to work as a team – an important dynamic when you are learning to consider others first.
Many of the local families and volunteers turned out on a bright May evening at the M.O.D pitch within Eastney barracks. The boys looked great as they ran out in their brand new Pompey kit, a recent gift from Linvoy Primus. This was Heartlands United – it was only their fourth match together but already they looked like a team that was going places. Why Heartlands? Someone asked, “We took the land out of Buckland & Landport and put the heart into it” the team manager replied.
The referee blew his whistle and PC Dean Juster shook hands with the Heartlands Captain, Steve Boden. They changed ends and it was game on.
The most exciting of matches followed – like a dad competing to win against his son, the Police team played hard and fast but to no avail. The teenagers in Pompey blue responded with great commitment and endeavour, they maintained their shape and discipline and bombarded the Police goal. A hat trick from Kyle Haines and two goals from Michael Kelly helped Heartlands to emerge from this goal thriller as worthy 7-4 victors.
As the sea breeze got up, the final picture was of two tired teams shaking hands and congratulating each other – the score line was secondary to the spirit of unity that prevailed. Deano the Police captain said: “ I am glad the boys enjoyed the game, I was impressed by their team ethos, hard work and skill level, but most of all by their behaviour – they were a credit to themselves and the volunteers. We would be happy to play them again”
You can follow the progress of Heartlands and other Faith & Football projects by clicking on www.faithandfootball.org.uk
16 May 2009
For the previous eighteen months or so, Faith & Football – the Portsmouth based Christian charity, has been operating Friday night football Leagues for inner city youngsters. Organised in association with the Landport & Buckland Neighbourhood Management Scheme, the community leagues aim to provide a safe place to engage with the local youth population.
During this time Faith & Football has developed strong relationships with many of the teenagers who participate – this engagement with challenging young people has led to the formation of an eleven a side team, a squad of 15 youngsters has become the glue to stick everyone involved together for an amazing life journey. The destination for these kids is a place of self worth, where they can demonstrate good discipline and exercise proper self-control. It has also become a search for spiritual truth.
A football match is a perfect environment to evaluate the progress of developing life skills, for these youngsters who have an average age of 15 a full on game against the local Police team would serve not only as a measurement of self discipline and control but test also their ability to work as a team – an important dynamic when you are learning to consider others first.
Many of the local families and volunteers turned out on a bright May evening at the M.O.D pitch within Eastney barracks. The boys looked great as they ran out in their brand new Pompey kit, a recent gift from Linvoy Primus. This was Heartlands United – it was only their fourth match together but already they looked like a team that was going places. Why Heartlands? Someone asked, “We took the land out of Buckland & Landport and put the heart into it” the team manager replied.
The referee blew his whistle and PC Dean Juster shook hands with the Heartlands Captain, Steve Boden. They changed ends and it was game on.
The most exciting of matches followed – like a dad competing to win against his son, the Police team played hard and fast but to no avail. The teenagers in Pompey blue responded with great commitment and endeavour, they maintained their shape and discipline and bombarded the Police goal. A hat trick from Kyle Haines and two goals from Michael Kelly helped Heartlands to emerge from this goal thriller as worthy 7-4 victors.
As the sea breeze got up, the final picture was of two tired teams shaking hands and congratulating each other – the score line was secondary to the spirit of unity that prevailed. Deano the Police captain said: “ I am glad the boys enjoyed the game, I was impressed by their team ethos, hard work and skill level, but most of all by their behaviour – they were a credit to themselves and the volunteers. We would be happy to play them again”
You can follow the progress of Heartlands and other Faith & Football projects by clicking on www.faithandfootball.org.uk
To contact Steve Rolls about this message via email please use this form