BRADFORD (Park Avenue) have academy football, women's football and even rugby league down at Horsfall in 2024, and they have just added another string to their bow.
The club have started running disability football sessions from 5-6pm every Monday evening at the stadium, which got underway earlier this month thanks to help from the West Riding County FA.
Avenue say their aim is to make football accessible to children and adults with physical and/or mental disabilities.
With the sessions on offer, they are looking to provide opportunities for people suffering with any disability to develop social skills, enabling them to build friendships and relationships.
There is also the simple aim of ensuring those attending enjoy the sessions and enjoy having a game of football.
That dual purpose will allow the players to develop their footballing skills, while also gaining self-confidence and independence.
Avenue are currently only running with a handful of players, given the venture is only a couple of weeks old, but they insist this is just the beginning.
DISABILITY FOOTBALL - EVERY MONDAY 5PM - 6PM!
— Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC (@BPAFCOfficial) June 10, 2024
We held the first session of our new Disability Football Programme this evening!
For anyone interested in playing or coaching, we will be running the programme every Monday, from 5pm - 6pm.
Want to get involved? Email us on… pic.twitter.com/aJlw5exuq6
The club are keen to improve numbers on a weekly basis, and are hopeful that word will quickly get around about how fun the sessions are, as well as people seeing the benefits those in attendance take from them.
Avenue say it has been a pleasure to get to know their current participants and their families throughout the last two weeks, and it is something they are very keen to build on and develop at the club.
Everyone is getting involved too, with sporting director Tom McStravick and first-team boss Danny Whitaker both partaking in the opening session, which took place on the second Monday of June.
For further information, or to register for the programme, please contact club secretary & operations manager Sheridann Dickerson on secretary@bpafc.com
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