Football Association of Ireland Football For All Programme
The FAI recognises that some people or communities start from a disadvantaged position and may need proactive assistance from the Association to gain access to all opportunities that exist in football. Since 2002 the association has been providing opportunities for players of all abilities to access football at a level that suits them.
Over the last decade the Football for All programme has seen numbers involved grow from 500 to 3,900 participants from Donegal to Waterford and Dundalk to Cork. We have forged active partnerships with over 25 disability organisations from a national, regional and local level. The FAI have been the leading advocate for disability sport within all sports governing bodies in Ireland and have continued this trend in the past 2 years focusing its programmes to ensure continued development and sustainability.
Below are some of the programmes available to players in Ireland however if you cannot get your opportunity to play football in your community please do not hesitate to contact us and we will endeavor to assist you in getting your football.
Power Chair Football
All Power-chair users:
• Players involved in power-chair football all have a severe physical disability and in most cases never played football or even walked from birth. All are huge football fans and have now been given the opportunity to join clubs, train and play in competition like their able bodied peers. • It is not essential that you are a power-chair user however most clubs do not yet have the finances to purchase club chairs to allow non power-chair users get involved. National League and Cup:
• The national league commences in October each year and culminates in May. The league format is split into 6 match days hosted in University of Limerick Sports Arena. The league consists of 10 teams and 2 divisions from all 4 corners of Ireland • The National Cup is a one day event again hosted in UL Sports Arena with all teams from NL involved and any new clubs are invited to compete with the view of joining NL the following year.
International Pathway (World Cup / Europeans / Potential Paralympics): • Association of Irish Power-chair Football (AIPF) govern the programme and brought Irelands first international squad to this year’s world cup in Paris organised by FIPFA the international body. • It is predicted that Power-Chair Football will be a Paralympic Sport and will be piloted at the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil.
Partners: • AIPF, Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, UL, Sports Inclusion Officers and LSP’s, Enable Ireland, Spina Bifida Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Associations
For More information please contact:
Donal Byrne (AIPF) or Nick Harrison (FAI) 087 4117911 086 0472051 [email protected] [email protected]
Blind Football Programme
Players:
• All players involved in this programme will be legally blind classified as B1 players within international competition standards. The players will have been blind from birth or will have acquired it. An amazing game to watch in a 5 V 5 match on Astroturf in a 40m by 20m pitch within 3 feet surrounds. Both goalkeepers are fully sighted.
Regional Centres:
• Over the next 4 years we will establish 5 regional centres for Blind football development and these will be geographically placed where the big player mass is. • The centres will be community based where we can get the facility to house the pitch surrounds and has an Astroturf. • There will be inter centre competition.
International Pathway:
• Blind (B1) football has a pathway from grassroots to international in European and World Cups through a 4 year cycle. • Blind (B1) football is an existing Paralympic sport and will have the full backing of Paralympic Ireland and i would hope by 2016 we will have a representation in Brazil
Partners:
• Irish Blind Sports, National Council of the Blind Ireland, Paralympics Ireland
For More information please contact:
Oisin Jordan (FAI) Nick Harrison Warren McDonald (IBS) 086 6079223 086 0472051 085 8279920 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
www.fai.ie
Football Association of Ireland Football For All Programme Amputee Football Programme
Players:
• Players involved in this programme are single leg and single arm amputees. Most players have acquired the amputation through an accident or medical reason. The game is played on crutches with the goalkeeper being a single arm amputee. • The Dublin centre is established with 18 players involved to date.
Regional Centres:
• The number of amputee football regional centres to be established will depend on the need across the country. It is expected that due to the number of amputees in the country who might be interest would not exceed more than 150. • 4 centres is expected to be established in Dublin, Limerick, Galway and possibly northwest. All will be community club based. International Pathway:
• Amputee football is an internationally recognised game and is governed by the World Amputee Football Association and is governed in Ireland by the Irish Amputee Football Association. • There is a pathway from grassroots to European and World Cups supported by local competition and club visits to the UK. • By 2016 there is an expectation that amputee football will be considered for a Paralympic Sport and may be in Brazil.
Partners: • Irish Amputee Football Association, Irish Wheelchair Association, Amputee Ireland, Cappagh Hospital, Prosthetic Clinics
For More information please contact:
Simon Baker (IAFA) Oisin Jordan (FAI) Nick Harrison 087 2477384 086 6079223 086 0472051 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Football For All Club Programme
“This programme was initiated to assist and develop Football opportunities for all players of all abilities aged 6 to 14 years in their local community and ensure its sustainability. Everybody regardless of their ability should have the opportunity to access football in their local club thus promoting an ethos of inclusion within the football community”.
Players:
• The club programme is for any player who at present cannot get involved within the mainstream system. It is a Pan Disability approach allowing any child no matter what their ability level can get involved. • It is from 6 years to 14 years and will grow as the players involved get older and continue to participate in the programme • This will ensure all players will have an avenue to access football in their local community going forward. • Players involved to date will have CP, Visual Impaired, Dyspraxia, Down- syndrome, Intellectual disability, autism.
Clubs:
• This programme is being driven through our network of mainstream community football clubs throughout Leinster and Munster immediately. • The clubs have full involvement with coaches, facilities, promotion, insurance etc…. • Within the next 5 years we hope to have the programme nationwide in all 32 counties.
International Pathway:
• Although this programme is targeting many players who have not yet been able to access mainstream clubs it does give us the opportunity to educate clubs/leagues and coaches of the international player pathway for players with a disability. • Therefore we will be in a much better position to feed our 7 international squads with players from the mainstream clubs as coaches will know of the opportunities for players with disabilities to where the green jersey.
For More information please contact:
Oisin Jordan (FAI) Nick Harrison 086 6079223 086 0472051 [email protected] [email protected] www.fai.ie www.fai.ie
Football For All Adult Blitz’s These blitz’s are run in 5 regional venues once a month in Dublin, Carlow, Munster, Sligo, and Galway. The blitz’s are open to all adult services, groups, organisations for adults with disabilities. The sessions started with Rehab Care and National Learning Networks in 2005 and have grown now to include any service working with adults with disabilities who are ambulant.
Players
The players involved come from services for adults with intellectual and mental health difficulties mostly but not exclusively. All players train weekly with their service or group week in week out and then compete against other teams in their regions once a month.
Partners
Rehab Care, National Learning Network, Brothers and Daughters of Charity, John of Gods, and other intellectually disability services.
For More information please contact:
Oisin Jordan (FAI) Nick Harrison 086 6079223 086 0472051 [email protected] [email protected] www.fai.ie www.fai.ie FAI Football For All International Programme
Teams:
• Irish Cerebral Palsy Squad • Irish Homeless World Cup Squad • Irish Visually Impaired Squad • Irish Deaf Squad • Irish Deaf Futsal Squad • Irish Power-Chair Football Squad • Special Olympics Ireland Squad
International Caps Presentation:
• Every player who represents their country at European or World level receives a senior international cap as does Robbie Keane. • Every year sees Dublin City Hall host the event in partnership with Dublin City Council • To date the FAI have capped over 600 players from the FFA international programme. • If you know of any player who may qualify for any of the above international squads and you feel has the ability to make the international squads please contact the FAI.
For More information please contact:
Oisin Jordan (FAI) Nick Harrison 086 6079223 086 0472051 [email protected] [email protected] www.fai.ie www.fai.ie