Referee aiming to link football with health for child pathways

LINKING football with health to create pathways for children is an initiative that referee Fletcher Bubuae Morocco is keen on pursuing this year.
Morocco, who is a Papua New Guinea Football Association certified referee (level three) and an active blood donor for the past 30 years, is calling on organisations to partner in a football development programme.
“What we want is to start skills training for Under-15 children and what will be taught are the basic skills and footwork to help build their knowledge of the game,” he said.
“So at an early age, the children can further understand the game.
“They will have the ability to be multi-skilled while undergoing training on leadership and health,” he said.
“After the training, there can be a few matches for the children and it’s from there that we identify and develop them for more elite games.
“From there, we can build development sides.
“We prepare them for more senior games or youth tournaments which paves the way for senior representation with the ultimate goal of representing the country.”
He said the programme would cover important issues on healthy living with awareness on blood donation.
Morocco said initiative was created under the International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations (IFBDO).
He said PNG did not have any organisation for blood donors and he was trying to organise an association for donors who had given blood for more than 10 years.