Tom Byer teaching kids during his “Football Starts at Home” program. | Photo from CVFA
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Renowned football coach and author of the book “Soccer Starts at Home” Tom Byer visited Cebu on Monday, June 24, to conduct his program billed as “Football Starts at Home” at the Bright Academy in Banilad, here.
Byer conducted the program in partnership with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and the Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA).
Around 20 participants ages 5-3 years old joined this program with their parents to learn about Byer’s grassroots program for football.
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In fact, Byer was tapped by the PFF to lead its grassroots program as a consultant.
Byer is internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading grassroots technical coaches. He wrote his book as a guide for parents to teach kids as young as two years old to learn football at home.
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Grassroots-level football
The main purpose of the program was to launch a grassroots-level football at home. Aside from the typical football skills training for the kids, the parents who attended the program also joined a seminar that Byer led.
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For CVFA president Rodney Orale, Byer wanted to share his expertise in grassroots programs which the latter has been advocating in Japan.
“Tungod aning iyang ka maayo sa grassroots program, gikuha siya sa as grassroots consultant sa PFF. Ang iyahang serbisyo para sa pagpakatap ani nga program,” said Orale.
‘Football Starts at Home’
One of the most fascinating football skills Byer taught to the participants was the one-ball, one-chile, one-parent, one-room drill which is ideal for houses even with small spaces.
“Ang target ani nga program is to teach kids sa pag control sa bola nga sulod ug usa ka space sa balay. Later, mao na na siya ang gitawag ug mastery of the ball without passing and without kicking sa ball nga importante nga fundamental sa football,” Orale explained.
Also present during the “Football Starts at Home” program here was PFF President John Gutierrez and Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman John Pages.