Soccer training for disabled kids

MUSCAT, Dec 30 - Imagine a five-year old disabled child wearing soccer boots and kicking a ball for a competition in a football ground in Oman. Time is not far that sports enthusiasts in Oman will witness physically challenged youngsters playing soccer for the first time in the Sultanate. “Training the disabled children to participate in sports will instill a sense of self-confidence and improve their skills,” said Her Highness Hujaijah bint Jaifer al Said, Chairperson of Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability. “We will soon see our children with special needs lining up on the soccer grounds to play this fast-growing national sport,” she told the Observer. Her Highness Hujaijah last week signed a memorandum of understanding with Haitham bin Mortadha Sultan, Executive Director of Barcelona Soccer Academy Oman, to train disabled children in the game. “Not only children who are studying with the association, but also kids from other institutions with disability can join the training programme,” she said. According to her, special needs children are often not encouraged to exercise because their parents or guardians fear they will get hurt. “But physical activity is as important for special needs children as it is for any child. They need to be accepted as part of the community. We need to give these children a chance to know they belong to society, and the best way to do so is through sports. We can enhance relations between the intellectually disabled and the community through such activities,” Her Highness Hujaijah said. While expecting a significant number of children in the programme aimed at preparing them for major competitions, she said that 24 children have already been selected. “The present economic downturn is badly affecting us. We are dependent on donations although we get some government grants for different programmes aimed at the overall development of disabled children,” she said. Terming the programme “first of its kind in the Sultanate”, Haitham said that it is designed to offer the children with mental or physical disability an opportunity to learn and play soccer. “Our goal is to enable these children with disabilities to become valued and successful citizens so that the mentality of society can be changed to a large extent,” he said. Initially, training will be imparted to boys in the age group five to 14 years by coaches from Spain and Switzerland. Students with disabilities are no different — like their peers without disabilities, these students benefit from participating in sports. But unfortunately, these children are denied many opportunities. “We hope this new endeavour will help change the attitude of society and the children will be able to reach higher positions,” Haitham said. SAMUEL KUTTY