FCK work with Danish Heart Association to run soccer school for kids

Last weekend the annual football school for children at the Danish Heart Association was held between co-organisers F.C. Copenhagen, DGI Football, Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen central hospital) and Hotel Comwell Portside.

Children with heart-related issues were invited to the football school 'Hjertebold' over the weekend at Ballklubben Viktoria's pitch in Fælledparken, directly opposite Denmark's national stadium and F.C. Copenhagen's home, Parken.

The football school gave children with congenital or early-acquired heart disease the opportunity to play football and experience the joy of exercise in a safe environment.

Around 50 kids and their parents gathered to play football and a have fun together in Fælledparken. In addition to a lot of football training, the weekend also included a trip to Parken, where the children had lunch and met Nicolai Boilesen, Roony Bardghji and head coach Jacob Neestrup.

In the evening there was concert with Tobias Floor and training with the former royal ballet dancer Magnus Christoffersen.

Participating children and their families also received sponsored accommodation at the Hotel Comwell Portside in Nordhavn.

"Children with congenital heart disease benefit greatly from exercise on an equal footing with other children," says the Heart Association's CEO, Anne Kaltoft.

"However, children with heart disease often cannot run as fast or for as long as others. That's why we are very happy that, together with F.C. Copenhagen, DGI Football, Rigshospitalet and Hotel Comwell Portside, we can organise a football school like this for children with heart disease, where the kids get good experiences and feel the joy of physical activity."

Initiative created by Sara Juhl
The initiative for the football school came from former elite footballer Sara Juhl, who herself was born with a heart defect, as one of the valves in her heart is two-parted instead of three-parted. She has been at the head of the football school for many years.

"I played sport to an elite level and have felt firsthand how important and rewarding it is to practice lifelong activity," says Sara, who, in addition to her active role at the football school, works as a club developer in F.C. Copenhagen.

"At the same time, I've had a goal to show children that even heart defects don't have to be an obstacle to playing football at a high level."

There is also pride to be found in the management process at F.C. Copenhagen, says Jacob Lauesen: "It makes us all very happy that we can help give these children a good experience in a setting that is a little out of the ordinary. We can see how happy the children are and how, like all other kids, they enjoy the unique unity of football."

Joy for all involved
There is also joy at DGI Football, which has been a co-partner at Hjertebold since the initiative started. Lars Møller, member of the main board of DGI and national chairman of DGI Football, says: "At DGI, we are focused on helping as many people as possible have an active lifestyle with plenty of movement and a smile on their face, and here the football school for kids is a very good example.

"The children get a lot of joy while playing and good experience early in life, and it is my hope that it can help form the fertile ground for a future life with football or other sports as part of a community."

For the first time this year, the families of each child participating in the weekend was invited to spend two nights at Comwell Copenhagen Portside in Nordhavn.

The hotel's managing director, Chren Vilander Thomsen, adds: "Every athlete – big or small – needs good recovery after physical exertion, and we were happy to be able to help in this area with accommodation and hearty meals for the participants and their families."

Claus Holbeck, chairman of Ballklubben Viktoria, says he was delighted to be able to welcome the kids to their pitch: "Our community clubs is happy and proud to be able to support Hjertebold by lending our field in Fælledparken for a worthwhile project like this. Joy and community are the cornerstones of all relationships, and we hope that the kids and their parents have had a good few days in Fælledparken."