TWO charitable youth teams from the Forth Valley took part in a special multicultural football tournament in Edinburgh recently.

Part of the Scottish Football Association’s (SFA) strategy to advance equality and diversity in sport, this annual Multicultural Football Festival celebrates cultural heritage and citizenship by bringing together children from a wide range of ethnicities and social backgrounds in a spirit of friendly competition.

The tournament took place on the grounds of Edinburgh’s acclaimed Spartans Community Football Academy, and was split up into junior and senior sets. Some 68 children took part. The younger players, aged between four and nine, competed in teams of four with no goalkeeper. The older teams, aged between 10 and 14, played in seven-person-squads with a detailed formation. Representatives of the Chinese Football Association were being given a tour of the academy by the SFA at the time and met some of the young Falkirk players.

The two starring teams from Falkirk were Coo Park United AFC and Al Masaar AFC. The former currently comprises 35 children and was founded in March 2015 by Charlie Hastie as a charitable sporting outreach in the community. Charlie co-coaches the side with his daughter, Leah Hastie. A project firmly rooted in the Bainsford and Langless area of town, Coo Park Utd aims to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds aged four to 11years the opportunity to participate in football-related activities in a safe and supervised environment.

Al Masaar AFC was founded in the summer of 2014 by Falkirk school teacher and community activist, Sofia Akhbar to provide a focal point for the coaching and bringing together of the children. Al Masaar recruited PhD student Nida Khalid as a development worker a year later.

Promoting multicultural diversity and social inclusion are key charitable objectives for Al Masaar. The 30 children who presently make up the team are drawn from no fewer than seven different ethnic backgrounds, including players who have recently arrived from Turkey and Syria as well as Scots Asian and Chinese.

By encouraging their children to participate in team sport, the aim is not only to enhance the health, confidence and wellbeing of individual players, but also to help their respective families integrate and positively engage with the wider community. At tournaments like these, instead of emphasis being placed on the teams winning, they are seen as an opportunity for them to develop new friendships and foster partnerships with participants from across the country.

In addition to championing the multicultural aspect of equality, both Coo Park Utd and Al Masaar seek to empower children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds through the medium of football. Indeed, the majority of those the two teams provide for are from families unable to afford any of the other organised sporting activities in the area.

Gender equality is also a key aim for Al Masaar and Coo Park Utd. The teams are made up of a healthy balance of girls and boys – indeed, females actually form the majority of players in the present line up - with the only qualification for team selection being a desire to participate and value fellow players. Diversity in the various ages and stages of youth is also represented. Each team encompasses players from pre-school right through to senior high school, with players’ ages currently ranging between four and 15.

Providing a safe and welcoming athletic learning environment for the children is paramount and the self-confidence, morale and emotional wellbeing of players constitute an important part of Coo Park Utd and Al Masaar’s developmental trajectory. Players regularly receive encouragement by team organisers, mentors and parents alike as part of the holistic training process. Before the recent Edinburgh tournament, Coo Park Utd coach Leah Hastie conducted a special exercise showing the young players how to celebrate goals, cheer on their teammates and demonstrate their appreciation for one another on the field during matches.

Award ceremonies are also regularly held to recognise the children’s achievements and boost their spirits. Both teams have ceremonies coming up before the end of the year end to pay a special tribute to their tournament participation.

Speaking about the ongoing mission of the charities, Al Masaar coach Nida Kahlid stated: “Al Masaar and Coo Park Utd are community football teams set up for the kids so that they are a part of something bigger. The aim is to give access to football related activities for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds who can’t afford to participate in existing organised provisions running in the area.

“Both teams offer their weekly training sessions and events for free. Each team has their own uniform, private equipment and logo. They regularly hold fundraising projects to pay for these expenses and to cover transport costs for fun days. Both teams rely heavily on donations, fundraisers and community funding initiatives.

“Working closely with the Scottish Football Association, Falkirk Community Trust and the inner community we have been able to offer free football coaching sessions. On average the kids play four hours a week at the Dawson Centre Astroturf.

“Along with football, Al Masaar has other branches, such as wee Steps, a weekly support group who meet once a week for new vulnerable mothers who are new to the community and toddlers. This is every Wednesday 12.30pm to 3pm and, again, free of charge. They continue to network with organisations, linking up with the Parenting Partnership and the NHS Forth Valley Sensory Centre.”

Commenting, Coo Park Utd spokesperson, Leah Hastie, said:

“We started with nine kids and are now delivering 10 hours per week sessions with over 80 local kids participating. The sessions are free and delivered by local people who have undergone SFA training.

“The key to the project’s success has been the involvement of the local community who have supported and recognised the barriers our children face in having equal opportunities to participate and develop their talents in relation to their peers from better of backgrounds.

“An example of this can be seen in two of our young female players have been supported by the community to sign up for the Falkirk FC girls under 14 team. Both are now having trials for the Scottish national team within this age group.

“Through football, we aim to get the community working together to address equality issues the wider sense. As Bill Shankly famously said, ‘You must believe you are the best, then make sure you are’.”

The local Member of Parliament for Falkirk, John McNally MP, has praised the work of the two Bainsford-based sides, stating:

“As a lifelong fan of football who has been involved in setting up community teams in the past, I am thrilled to see the good work that Coo Park Utd AFC and Al Masaar AFC are doing within my Falkirk constituency and in the wider Forth Valley area.

“In addition to the physical benefits of health and wellbeing that competitive sport naturally brings to communities, by advancing the cause of equality and multicultural diversity the teams are using football creatively as a medium for positive social change.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the two sides and their respective leaders, Charlie and Leah Hastie, and Sofia Akbar and Nida Khalid, and wish them continued success and fulfilment in their ethically commendable endeavours, both on and off the field.”