The 1st Ever HeadSAFE Project

Coaches Across Continents (CAC) and Creating Legacies 17 is delighted to be a 2022 FIFA Foundation Community Programme-supported organisation! Together with our partners training4changeS and Head for Change we will be delivering the 1st ever project promoting safe heading in football. The biggest threat to Child Safety in football programming is heading the ball. A recent study in the UK showed that footballers were 3.5 times more likely to suffer neurodegenerative disease than the general population. The English FA has banned heading for under 12 and the professional game has just instructed that players do no
more than 10 high impact headers per week. Now more than ever, it is vital that all participants in football are aware of the potential impact of heading on long-term neurology. 

CL17, alongside CAC and Head for Change, is proud to be at the forefront of this work. 

CAC have designed a unique play-based curriculum which ensures youth leaders have the tools to discuss vital messages around heading, brain development and hydration. The curriculum is consistent while being adaptable for the specific challenges facing a diverse range of communities globally. CAC will train training4changeS leaders in Stellenbosch, South Africa in the curriculum so they can effectively deliver it in their 2022 youth programming. Together we commit to reducing heading in the programming by 25%.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS:

About FIFA Foundation Community Programme

The Foundation Community Programme supports organisations that use football as a tool for social change and to improve the lives of underprivileged people around the world. Once a year, the FIFA Foundation invites established non-profit entities to apply for project funding in order to use football as a tool to address social issues affecting young people such as education, health, peacebuilding, refugees, leadership and gender equality.

Coaches Across Continents

Coaches Across Continents is an award-winning non-profit focused on education and community development. Its Purposeful Play curriculum and Education Outside the Classroom (EOC) methodology supports communities to design pathways towards social change based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. EOC empowers communities, organizations, leaders and young people to analyze their needs and implement strategies to choose their futures. CAC has trained and certified 25,000+ community coaches and leaders, and annually, provides quality education for over 16 million youth.

CONTACTS:

Coaches Across Continents – Adam Burgess, adam@coachesacrosscontinents.org

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *