GOALS Empowerment Summer Camp
Description
Throughout Armenia, there are limited opportunities for girls to play soccer. Despite having a strong desire to do so, girls cannot find the resources necessary or sporting groups that make experiencing the game a possibility. In addition, organized sport participation has several benefits to youth development such as leadership skills, teamwork skills, confidence building and improved overall physical health. A team comprised of Peace Corps Volunteers, Paros volunteers and soccer coaches will organize three regional girls soccer camps that will culminate in a soccer tournament. Sponsorship of this project will help fund the camps and help raise awareness about girls’ soccer in Armenia.
On July 10th a Training of Trainers (TOT) will be held in Yerevan before the start of a week-long empowerment camp in Gyumri. All coaches and volunteers involved with the camp will attend the TOT; this will include three traveling coaches, and three coaches from each camp location as well as three Peace Corps volunteers and three Paros volunteers. The TOT will include specific aspects of the camp, including the logistics and overall organization, guest speakers, seminars, and drills. The Staff will be given the coaching manual and the curriculum developed by Coaches Across Continents.
The summer camp will go from 9am to 3pm every day. The daily routine will consist of a combination of traditional skill building drills, scrimmages, team building exercises, seminars on leadership, as well as a set of drills designed by Coaches Across Continents. Lunches will be provided. The last day of the camp there will be a “5 on 5” tournament between the attending girls. Local parents and the press will be invited to attend the last day of the camp. There will be a trophy presentation to the winning team.
The following is a brief project timeline:
July 10th – August 5th
GOALS Camp TOT – July 10th 10am- 4pm In Yerevan for major participants in GOALS camp
GOALS Camp Gyumri    July 17th- 22nd 9am-3pm
GOALS Camp Vanadzor July 24th- 29th 9am-3pm
GOALS camp Goris     July 31st- August 5th 9am-3pm
GOALS Camp Finale and Celebration – August 5th 3pm-6pm Inviting Peace Corps staff, Embassy, Paros, Football Federation, other sponsors, etc.
CAC Camp August 17th- 27th
3 days Yerevan –>
2 days COAF –>
1 day Dilijan –>
3 days Gyumri
GOALS Camp Tournament- August 8th-11th Tentative, in Hangavan
Gallery Images
The Need
Throughout Armenia, there are limited opportunities for girls to play soccer. Despite having a strong desire to do so, girls cannot find the resources necessary or sporting groups that make experiencing the game a possibility. In addition, organized sport participation has several benefits to youth development such as leadership skills, teamwork skills, confidence building and improved overall physical health. In Armenia there is a football federation, which only works in cities near or in the capital, namely Gyumri, Yerevan, Hrazdan and Vanadzor. Generally, resources are unavailable and playing the sport in most villages is seen as a thing that girls simply don’t do. By giving girls the chance to play soccer we can empower a new generation of young women leaders in Armenia.
Short Term Impact
In the short term, more than 100 girls will have the opportunity to develop the skills they need to play soccer. Equally important, perceptions of girls’ soccer will begin to change through both the regional camps and the tournament.
Long Term Impact
In the long term, public awareness and opinions surrounding girls soccer will begin to change, making participation both feasible and desirable.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsors of this project will be recognized on the Paros Foundation and GOALS websites, at the camps and in all press related to this project.
Our Donors (17)
- Ms. Tracy Serdjenian $100 Apr 19, 2016
- Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Elizabeth Vranka $250 Apr 4, 2016
- St. Gregory Enlightener Armenian Church $450 Mar 21, 2016
- Ms. Emily Khatchaturian $10 Feb 27, 2016
- Mr. Gary Darakjian $225 Jan 1, 2016