Promising young footballers from across Poland, as well as those who came to watch them play, had the chance to perfect their skills this year in a range of Coca-Cola Cup initiatives to support grassroots football.

The Coca-Cola Cup is Poland’s biggest and best-known school football competition, attracting an incredible 3,829 teams this year. Boys’ League champions Middle School 48 from Warsaw and Girls’ League winners Middle School Chocianów not only won the title, but will also enjoy a week-long training session led by some of Europe’s best youth football coaches and have the chance to watch the UEFA Cup-winning football team Shakhtar Donetsk play live.

Throughout the Cup’s regional finals, coaches from the new Coca-Cola Cup Football Academy – set up in partnership with Polish Soccer Skills and supported by Coca-Cola Cup Ambassador Jan Pruijn – were on the look-out for the 10 most talented young footballers.

“The tournament is the perfect way to inspire grassroots talent, which is something I’m very passionate about,” says Jan. “I am glad to offer my full support to the Coca-Cola Cup Football Academy, which, in its aim to discover and improve the technical skills of young players, is similar to the Ajax Amsterdam football school that I had the pleasure to create and develop.”

And thanks to Active Life Zones, spectators at the 16 Coca-Cola Cup regional finals and the national final got active, too. With a football obstacle course, a ‘one v one’ pitch and a radar goal (measuring shooting power), there was plenty to keep everyone on the ball!

September 1, 2011 | Filed under Community, English and tagged with Coca-Cola Cup, Football.