Olé Football Academy Releases “Let Them Play” Fund
The Olé Football Academy “Let Them Play Fund” is exclusively devoted to susidising the cost of pay to play programmes and providing no barriers to entry opportunities for Olé FA players and families. “Let Them Play” Funds will be monitored exclusively by,
Ben Sippola – Olé Football Academy Chief Executive
Declan Edge – Olé Football Academy Technical Director
Blake Jones – Olé Football Academy Trainer
“Let Them Play” donors will be encouraged to donate via a reoccurring payment, in the form of a membership i.e. a $5 / week payment. This allows donors to make a potential life time commitment to supporting the academy model and belief that no child should be inhibited the opportunity to play based on an inability to afford programme costs, necessary equipment, kit, club associated fees, etc…
100% of donations will be allocated to providing Olé FA “Let Them Play” opportunities to children enrolled in existing programmes or entering the academy. Funds will be allocated once agreed upon and signed off by the three “Let Them Play” account signatories above. A treatise with conditions around the allocation of funds will be released in the near future to ensure a transparent, fair and just process.
The “Let Them Play” Fund will allow Olé to tap into it’s vast staff and alumni networks and current database of academy stakeholder built since the academy’s inception, including over 50 graduates from US Universities and numerous former professional players and international representatives.
Olé Let Them Play Donations can be made to the following account:
Olé Donations Account
ASB
12-3192-0029062-05
In order for a child to realise his or her potential, he or she must first be given the opportunity to engage in a long – term (3+ years) learning environment based around art, music, sport or other play / recreational medium. Play – an inherent component to human development – is often an underestimated component in a child’s holistic growth, development, health and overall wellbeing.
For the most part, human cognitive development is essentially the same in all communities and cultures around the globe between 0 – 6 years of age. It is typically after the age of 6 – when a child begins formal schooling and opportunities for play are reduced – that cognitive development either flourishes or flounders. In such instances, a family’s socioeconomic status largely determines the learning environment it is able to offer its’ child / children.
Today, opportunities for play are limited for children residing in Porirua. The Porirua Project aims to ensure that all children have continued opportunities to engage in play, while also developing essential life skills in a safe and nurturing community environment. The opportunities that play mediums provide are becoming increasingly important and essential for the modern child to lead a healthy and happy life, while also having a chance to become the best he or she is capable of. Every child deserves the opportunity to play. So, we say… #LetThemPlay
