NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 – 48 high school and young coaches as well as 192 children will over the weekend take part in a once a lifetime experience training with Manchester united Soccer Schools coaches courtesy of United’s shirt sponsors AON.
According to AON Kenya CEO Joe Onsando, the 3 day training under the ‘Pass It On’ initiative is aimed at equip the children with soccer skills, healthy food choices, healthy mind choices and team work dynamics.
Most of the coaches chosen to participate in the training were chosen from schools that participated in secondary schools games.
Onsando who spoke after the official launch of the week-long activities organized to benefit AON colleagues, clients and communities also said that the coaches will talk to parents on how to motivate their children and the benefit of sport.
“The involvement of local coaches in the skills and drills program is meant to ensure that the skills imparted in the coaches are taken back and implemented in their schools,” said Onsando adding that the training was meant to help children develop into confident young adults.
AON will also hold a five aside football tournament with the aim of raising 5 million shillings for the Gender Violence Recovery unit at the Kenyatta national Hospital
“We have supported the recovery center for some time now, so we thought to use this moment together with the strategic advantage of the position Manchester United holds as brand to highlight what they do and also to raise them some money,” he added.
The Manchester Soccer School coaches expected in the country on Wednesday evening for the training are Peter Nicholas, Billy Miller and Kevin O’Connell.
The AON “Pass It On” campaign was launched by legends Denis Irwin Bryan Robson and Gary Pallister at Old Trafford on the 23rd of October last year and will come to an end in June.
It is expected that the three AON convoys that set off from Australia, Chile and South Africa to transverse through all AON offices- with man united balls- will have arrived in London, having covered about 180,000 kilometers.
The convoys are competing for points and the balls they are traveling with will be auctioned for charity at AON 25th gala celebrations.
By Lordrick Mayabi
