2,000 children and over 50 coaches from Thailand are learning football and good practices

Thanks to the agreement with AV Academy Football School, young people from 19 districts in Surat Thani have received specialized training provided by qualified instructors.

The province of Surat Thani, located in the south of Thailand, has experienced exponential growth in interest in football among its residents in recent years. This growth has been fueled by the rise of Asian football and the significant popularity of LALIGA, its clubs, and its stars among the younger population in the region. As a result, football has become a powerful educational and inclusive tool, promoting values such as teamwork, camaraderie, tolerance, and equality.

Taking advantage of this situation, since March, when an agreement was reached between the LALIGA FOUNDATION and AV Academy Football School, which organizes football clinics for children in Surat Thani, several social and educational activities have been developed for 2,000 children from the 19 districts of this province, as well as for more than 50 coaches. These coaches underwent a hybrid training, combining online and in-person sessions, focused on socio-sport development, guided by the specific methodology of the LALIGA FOUNDATION called "Valores para Ganar" (Values for Winning).

With this synergy, the goal is to create opportunities for the youth in the region to engage in football, leading to increased activity and better health. It aims to encourage them to utilize their free time intelligently and, most importantly, to learn and develop as individuals while enjoying a sports activity rich in values. Additionally, one of the primary objectives of this project is to promote gender equality and facilitate access for girls in the region to participate in football from a young age. In Thailand, numerous social barriers hinder women from playing football normally, and emerging female players often lack support and opportunities for regular training, particularly in rural or vulnerable communities.

The LALIGA FOUNDATION has actively collaborated in this partnership by donating sports equipment for the children who train weekly in Surat Thani. Moreover, as the highlight of this initial collaboration, they provided support in project activities, including a personal visit by a socio-sport coach from the LALIGA FOUNDATION to some academies in the program. This visit aimed to complement the training of local coaches from various districts involved in the project. Additionally, they also accompanied the final event of the season organized by AV Academy, in which more than 200 children participated.

Olga de la Fuente, Director of the LALIGA FOUNDATION, has highly praised the various activities that have been developed in Surat Thani. She stated, "These activities provide the children in the region with a series of knowledge that is highly beneficial for their personal development, in addition to creating valuable training opportunities for the local coaches. At the LALIGA FOUNDATION, we are delighted to establish synergies of this nature with AV ACADEMY, as we feel strongly aligned with its philosophy and impact objectives."

Atchariya Vanitchanont, the director of AV Academy Football School, states, "AV Academy is thrilled to partner with the LALIGA FOUNDATION to empower and promote the development of young people in Surat Thani. This project has ambitious goals, and we genuinely want to make a difference and create opportunities for the youth in this region. We hope that this collaboration will be long-lasting, enabling us to continue offering essential values to the community, such as equality, respect, generosity, and happiness."