Ready, set, go

The start of a new Inter Campus season is always exciting, a bit like going back to school after the summer holidays. You find yourself back among friends and a fresh, new notebook brims with possibilities and big ideas waiting to be brought to life. 

Things start up again from what is already tried and tested, like the mornings at camp in Tel Aviv for Israeli children and African refugee children during Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles when the Jewish people remember the 40 years spent wandering the desert in search of the promised land. A lot of time is spent on the pitch with local and visiting coaches with fully immersive games, exercises and small matches that create new bonds and a sense of understanding, both for the youngsters playing and the older ones who are learning how to teach.

A great deal of attention has been placed on this last objective during the visit. In addition to the development courses with exams and the presentation of certificates to the more experienced coaches such as Arturo and Emanuele, the decision was made to also involve Janiw who is in his second year with Inter Campus and the Jerusalem coaches Rozi and Besan who teach a group of Arab girls on their own on the pitch in Beit Zafafa.

Among the most intense moments of the mission was the visit to the West Bank with the classic development group. There was a full Italian delegation, Arturo, Gheisan (local coach), Bouma (a pacifist who accompanied us in Palestine and who led us through the checkpoints), Razeq (a key figure who lives in the Palestinian village and who supports Inter Campus) and for the first time since the hub opened, Rozi and Besan were also there since arriving from Jerusalem along with Ali who used to be a part of the project as a child and who is alongside Gheisan this year to help with training.

Full steam ahead!