Thousands of Kiwi kids are being introduced to both the beautiful game and the importance of healthy eating as the 5+ A Day Football in Schools programme continues to be enthusiastically received all over the country.

New Zealand Football has teamed up with 5+ A Day to deliver the programme and, through this partnership, aims to provide primary and intermediate schools with practical support to maximise the time children spend engaged in physical activity while in the school environment.

“The 5+ A Day Football in Schools programme offers children further opportunities to get active through football,” explains Owain Prosser, Football Development Manager (Junior) for New Zealand Football.

“At the same time, it presents teachers with the tools to create and deliver simple activities that will encourage children to become even more active in the school setting. The programme is based around children learning while having fun and, hopefully, they will then develop an intrinsic motivation to play sport for a long time,” he adds.

“5+ A Day are a perfect partner for the programme as their values around living a healthy lifestyle are very much aligned with the messages that New Zealand Football wish to promote in schools.”

The Football in Schools programme is delivered by the country’s seven federations, whose football development officers regularly visit schools throughout their region to engage with the children and provide teachers with the tools and knowledge to run their own sessions.

For example, representatives from the Northern Football Federation recently popped into Helensville Primary School in west Auckland, where they delivered 11 sessions to over 300 children. Importantly, they were also able to take over 20 teachers through a professional development session, meaning the learning and football fun can continue without direct involvement from the federation.

The teachers were all guided through the Football Literacy aspect of the 5+ A Day Football in Schools programme, which is delivered during class time as part of physical education and aims to develop fundamental football skills.

Its benefits are not limited to football through with the children also gaining an increased understanding of movement, as well as boosting their confidence and developing problem-solving skills.

“The programme provides an opportunity for children to participate in an inclusive, safe, fun and supportive environment that offers lots of moments on the ball,” says Mel Giles, Community Development Manager for Northern Football.

“The key for Northern Football and our local schools is that they have access to a well-thought resource, which is aligned to the school curriculum and provides teachers with an opportunity for professional development and an understanding of the resources. The professional development session is absolutely essential for teachers to feel comfortable with using the resources outside of the delivery by the federation and we also offer mentoring to teachers as we move through the weeks of delivery.”

While Football Literacy is at the heart of 5+ A Day Football in Schools, informal play outside the classroom is also promoted through Let’s Play, which encourages children to continue exploring football before school, after school and at break times. Schools are also provided with opportunities to take part in festivals and inter-school events, where children can enjoy playing in organised small-sided games in a non-competitive environment while making friends and experiencing a sense of achievement.

The 5+ A Day Football in Schools programme is part of the wider New Zealand Football National Player Development Framework. For more information or to register your school please contact Owain Prosser at owain.prosser@nzfootball.co.nz

5+ A Day encourages all Kiwis to eat five or more servings of colourful, fresh fruit and vegetables every day for good health and performance. A serving is about a handful and we all use our own hands – therefore a child’s serving is smaller than an adult’s. For more information please visit www.5aday.co.nz

Article added: Tuesday 19 June 2018