Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Real Madrid Foundation partnership to help develop the coaches of children across Europe
Following a successful bid last year, Leeds Beckett and the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) secured significant Erasmus+ European funding for a project entitled ‘iCoachKids: Innovative Education & Training for a Specialist Children & Youth Coaching Workforce’.
The main objective of the iCoachKids project is to tackle the lack of existing opportunities for coaches of children to be suitably trained and recognised across Europe. The project will overturn this situation through the development of open and innovative education and training resources and opportunities for youth coaches.
Yes!! @iCoachKidsEU @leedsbeckett @Carnegie_Sport & @Fun_Realmadrid will work together to support children's coaches https://t.co/gyqmj8wBlW pic.twitter.com/Xg4V9rZhRa
— iCoachKidsEU (@iCoachKidsEU) June 14, 2017
With the agreement in place between Leeds Beckett and the Real Madrid Foundation, facilitated by iCoachKids partner Universidad Europea de Madrid, who already work with Real Madrid as part of their academic offer, the project continues to gather pace in its mission to create a specialist children and youth sport coaching workforce across the European Union.
Real Madrid Foundation’s aim is to promote sport amongst children and youth in the understanding that taking part contributes to the comprehensive development of a young person’s personality, offering positive entertainment alternatives to situations of risk and fostering ethical values, healthy habits and ways of life amongst them.
iCoachKids Project Coordinator Sergio Lara-Bercial is thrilled to add Real Madrid Foundation to the ever-growing list of collaborators for this Erasmus+ initiative. He commented: “What can I say? As far as sporting institutions go, they don’t come much bigger than Real Madrid. The commitment the Foundation has demonstrated, not only to the concept of sport for development, but to the education of its coaches and staff is outstanding and exemplary. They have developed fantastic educational materials and their work should be recognised.”
Sonia García, Rafael Barragán and Pedro Lara, the Universidad Europea representatives in iCoachKids have been instrumental in bringing Real Madrid Foundation into the fold, added: “We have been working with Real Madrid for many years in our academic capacity and know how good they are. To us, it was a no-brainer. The Foundation was a perfect match for the objectives and values of the project.”
Real Madrid Foundation has also expressed their delight at joining the iCoachKids mission. Managing Director Mr Julio González Ronco said: “Working on education through sports is the foundation of our activity, we´re happy being part of iCoachKids Project to share knowledge in a big platform with so many important stakeholders in Europe.”
iCoachKids is co-funded by an Erasmus+ grant and led by Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE). It brings together another six world-class organisations with a common desire to support children and youth coaches and a proven track record of doing so. These include Sport Ireland Coaching, the Hungarian Coaches Association, the Netherlands Olympic Committee, the European University of Madrid, Lithuanian Sport University and the Royal Belgian Football Association.