goodmorningpapua.com – The Papua Football Academy (PFA) which was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on August 31, immediately started one of its programs. Namely practicing in Tembagapura, Mimika, which has an altitude of 2,000 above sea level.
“It’s a valuable opportunity for the children to train in Tembagapura, at a very different altitude from where they normally train,” said Papua Football Academy Director Wolfgang Pikal as quoted by Antara.
The trip for about three hours using a special bus from Timika did not feel tiring. This is because the different atmosphere and atmosphere were very pleasant for the 30 selected PFA students in three cities, namely Jayapura, Timika, and Merauke.
In two days of training on the soccer field owned by PT Freeport Indonesia on Friday (7/10) and Saturday (8/10), PFA students were trained with a program to build cohesiveness and received sports for development (S4D) materials adopted from the Federation’s coaching curriculum. German Football.
“In the first training session, we practiced attacking in the one-thirth ofthe opposing pitch. In the second session, we had a number of guest participants attend the coaching clinic. They follow the training program that we have arranged, such as improving the quality of passing the ball,” said Wolfgang, a former assistant to the Indonesian national team.
A number of 6 students of the Jayawijaya Education Foundation (YPJ) in Tembagapura also had the opportunity to taste the Papua Football Academy-style coaching knowledge with great enthusiasm. In fact, one of them, Troy Achilles Raja Mangihut Tamba, wants a coaching clinic like that to be repeated in Tembagapura.
Coach Wolfgang Pikal introduced PFA, the first football academy in Indonesia to apply the FIFA Children Safeguarding principles. He also told how the management of the academy was carried out without leaving education and the formation of individual character.
“I was impressed with the behavior of the PFA children. It is proved that they are not only taught to play soccer well, but also educate students to become individuals with good character. I have high hopes for them,” said George Banini, Executive Vice President of Operations at PT Freeport Indonesia.
The same opinion was also conveyed by the Executive Vice President Side Administration of PT FI Brian Esser. “I am sure that this program will not be in vain. Papuan children will get valuable lessons and experiences while they are at the Papua Football Academy,” said Brian Esser.