by Alan Jacques
Picture: Keith Wiseman
COACHES from English Premier League side Sunderland AFC put young Limerick men through their paces during the Fitness Through Football programme in the city last week.
The programme, which has been running for the past five years, was designed by Limerick DEPS (Drug Education and Prevention Strategy) to engage men aged 18 to 25, who are not in employment, education or training.
Operated in partnership with the FAI and HSE, it is funded by the HSE Health Promotion Unit, HSE Suicide Information Office, Limerick Council Regeneration Office and the Mid West Regional Drug and Alcohol Forum.
According to drug education worker with Limerick DEPS, Daniel Butler, the project has engaged over 100 young men and is widely considered as a “programme of excellence”.
“The friendship element is hugely positive as it allows the lads who want to make positive life changes make friends seeking the same thing and hugely improving the chances those changes will be permanent,” he explained.
“We have many lads who are now in recovery from drugs, back in education, some getting their Leaving Certs, others third level education. We have lads who are now fully qualified coaches who are coaching with us this year,” he added.
Run over eight weeks, the programme includes a week-long football training camp with Sunderland AFC’s Foundation of Light which uses football as a medium to work on men’s health, and includes cookery lessons as well as mental and sexual health workshops.
Participants undertook a week-long training camp at Our Lady of Lourdes all-weather pitch, with the Premier League coaches strongly commending the diligence of the young men in the programme.
Jason Hendry of Sunderland AFC Foundation of Light has been coaching young Limerick men as part of the programme for the past three years.
“I really enjoy it. The lads are always diligent, respectful and good fun. You can see the quality of the programme and how well it is run by Daniel Butler. It’s a programme we would love to have in Sunderland and we hope the partnership continues for six more years”, he said.
Bedelia Collins of the HSE, who has been involved with the programme since it started, said she has seen it grow from “strength to strength”.
“Nationally this category of men are a huge priority for the HSE but are hard to engage so seeing it happen in this programme is very impressive. The evaluation backs up what we have seen practically and we hope it will continue for many more years,” she said.
