The Greek Sports’ Journalists Association Recognizes the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for the Children’s Soccer Training program

On December 14th, 2009, the Greek Sports’ Journalists Association hosted the Annual Sports Awards to recognize the top athletes, teams and coaches of the year. The ceremony, attended by a large crowd and broadcast live, included an award to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for its contribution to sports.

The special award chiefly recognized the Children’s Soccer Training program, which has been exclusively funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation since 2003. The Children’s Soccer Training program sponsors athletic educational training programs in deprived areas across the country and promotes fair play in competitive school sports. The Program includes a series of presentations at schools selected in cooperation with the Hellenic Ministry of Education; the Soccer Tournament Academy “Ethos Cup Mimis Papaioannou,” a Girl’s Soccer Academy; and a Soccer School.

For the academic year 2009-2010, 17 school presentations have been scheduled. The boys’ Soccer Tournament Academy “Mimis Papaioannou Ethos Cup,” which will take place at the Municipal Stadium of Galatsi, from December 27th to 29th, 2009, will feature eight teams, comprising 160 young football players. The Girls’ Soccer Tournament Academy will be held in Volos during Easter break and will showcase the skills of young athletes ages 15-17. The Soccer School, in which 140 young athletes participate, will take place in Kalamata in June 2010.