These lucky girls, aged 8 to 11 all come from HFCA’s partner Cambodian Children’s Fund and were so happy to be selected to join. GOFC was officially launched on the 4th of May and this 1st camp was a great success with a total of 67 young girls joining.
HFCA could see the immediate positive impact the GOFC coaches had on our players who were nervous having never played football before. HFCA were delighted to have a top-class coach Colum Curtis coaching some of our players and his sessions were really amazing.
Colum Curtis who is from Ireland, came to Cambodia in 2019 from and joined PKR Svay Rieng FC as Assistant Head Coach to Conor Nestor. After assisting Nestor to win the Cambodian Premier League in 2019, Curtis was Head Coach of Visakha FC from January 2020 till September 2021. Curtis led Visakha to their first major trophy by winning the Hun Sen Cup (Cambodian version of the FA Cup) in his very first season.
“I was honoured to be asked to help with the GOFC programme. It is such a great initiative which I have no doubt will benefit the future of these young girls, not only as footballers but as people. I was lucky enough to have the girls from HFCA in my group for the day. CJ Coaching is very much a big advocate of the GOFC project and we look forward to watching it prosper.”
Colum Curtis, Founder CJ Coaching & Former Visakha FC Head Coach
“I was nervous to join as I never went to a football program before but GOFC training was amazing and my coach Colum teach us a lot of fun games and I can’t wait for next training”
Thida aged 11, HFCA player
“GOFC’s first camp was a great experience for HFCA’s ten young girls and for some of them to learn from a top-class coach like Colum Curtis was really special”
Paraic Grogan, Founder HFCA
“We are delighted with our first camp. It was a great start to what we hope will be a movement to ignite grassroots football for girls in Cambodia”
Conor Nestor, Head Coach of PKR Svay Rieng FC.
HFCA is a founding partner of GOFC and its organizational members include three of the biggest football clubs in Cambodia such as PKR Svay Rieng FC, Phnom Penh Crown FC and Boeung Ket FC. Other founding members are KMH Foundation of ISI Group, Riel Phnom Penh Srey and Football for Life. HFCA's ten players, all from underprivileged backgrounds are now signed up to attend bi monthly training and they are loving their 1st experience of organised football.
Check out all the pictures from the day HERE
