Cambodia newcomer to Melbourne 2008
Posted by Cambodia - 22/04/2008
Happy Football Cambodia is tacking challenges and dribbling its way round any obstacles to bring a national team from Cambodia to the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup for the very first time.
HFC (Happy Football Cambodia) aims to give poor children in Phnom Penh and beyond the opportunity to play the beautiful game in a safe environment. The first obstacle was to find a pitch. Phnom Penh faces a major shortage of football pitches. After long negotiations with the Sisowat High School they began training sessions on Saturday morning from 7am to 11am. Now the Bak Touk High school also allows the team to train on their pitch from 7am to 11am on Sundays. HFC would like to take this opportunity to thank Sisowat and Bak Touk High School for allowing access to their football pitches.
HFC provides all players with football boots (some players don’t have shoes let alone boots), shin pads, socks, shorts and jerseys. Coaching began by the organisers themselves until very recently when they developed a close relationship with the CFF (Cambodian Football Federation) who have agreed to provide professional training coaches. They are also going to send all HFC staff on coaching courses run by the CFF.
HFC first heard about the Homeless World Cup in early 2006 and they are delighted to be given the opportunity to represent Cambodia for the first time in Melbourne. After tackling the challenges to set up the project they are ready to get players organised for the competition, seek out funding for their campus in Phnom Penh and the trip to Melbourne, get passports for players who don't have birth certificates and don't even know their date of birth.
The thought of seeing 8 young Cambodian men and women wearing the Cambodian jersey in front of thousands of people in Federation square drives them on. They will be a force to be reckoned with at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup. Potential champions?
