Paul and Matt went in 2009, it was so successful that we have been invited to return. This time Roy from our club Dexter Sports YFC will help Paul with the football coaching and I will do the admin and help run/organise the tournament towards the end of our visit. Any spare time we may have I am sure Adrian will find things for us to visit or do, for example we have already been asked if we are any good at wielding a paintbrush!
Straight forward journey to Luton, a little longer than expected due to volume of traffic.
ReplyDeleteThe flight out was about 20 minutes late, managed some sleep and we were met at Bacau by Adrian. The drive to Comanesti was a little longer than usual as it was very foggy and we were stuck behind a lorry.
Got to the Robert Cole Centre at about 7.30 Romanian time (2 hours ahead of UK).
Decided not to go to sleep, we had balls to find and inflate and kit to sort as our first coaching session was at the RCC with the Special Needs students at 10 o'clock. It goes very well, a nice gentle lead in to the week as the participants are not very demanding, but are never the less enthusiastic.
In the afternoon we have another group from a nearby residential home for people with special needs. We had a skills, pass and shoot session and followed this with a match.
This was going well, very competetive, until one of the players managed to slice the ball over the fence and into a neighbours window. The ball hit the shutters but the resident insisted that the window had been broken. Much shouting, arm waving ensued, and on first look the glass was indeed cracked. However when we were taken into the flat it was clear that the pane had been broken when it had been put in. The pin tacks had caught the glass in two different places causing the damage, he was just trying it on. We exited the flat to more grumbling and know doubt swearing in Romanian and at the moment we have heard no more about it.
What a start!!!
After a long hot day we have a problem with the showers, no hot water, so it's a very quick freezing cold dip. We then go into town for something to eat and get back for an early night, we are all shattered as it's been a long day.
Early start on day two, we are being picked up by the mini bus and going off to a school in Moinesti to run a training session for two groups at the High School.
ReplyDeleteWhen we arrive Roy and Paul are panicking as there are about 50 teenagers there, luckily only about 30 are taking part. We split them into two groups and run through a few shooting, pass and move, heading and reaction drills. These players have good skill levels and quickly grasp what we are trying to do and cope easily with the exercises. We complete the session with matches on two hardcourt pitches, all the teams have a good knowledge of team play and the games are very even.
We give a set of kit to both teams and look forward to seeing them on Saturday.
We are asked to complete some paperwork at the end, Adrian checks what we are signing. The School has been on the Club's website and got our names and positions in Dexters and produced a folder that records the project with our signatures against it.
We then have short drive to a school just outside of the town where we pick up 14 teenagers and a teacher and go to the Moinesti Football Club Stadium. We are allowed to use their training pitch for our session. We split them into two groups and run through similar drills as before, we are on grass pitches for this.
We haven't been going long when another group from a nearby Special Needs residential home turn up. We had been expecting them a little later, so Roy took all the ex 'Apple' school players and Paul took the special needs group.
The special needs group have low levels of skills, but enter into it with enthusiasm and excitement and seem to enjoy themselves. We try and organise a game, it is fairly chaotic but everyone tries hard. We finish with a penalty shoot out and the group go home for lunch.
Roy has organised a match for his group, they are all enthusiastic, some good skill levels and all seem to enjoy the game. The highlight coming when Roy hits a thundering shot which comes back of an opponents knee and hits him where it hurts the most!!!!!
We give out a load of shirts at the end of the match, strangely nobody wants the England shirt! Roy makes some of them kiss the badge before they can get a lift back home in the mini bus.
On our return to Comanesti we are asked to go to the Mayor's Office where we meet a representative from Euro Direct (an EU organisation) that want to get involved and promote what we are doing. They are supplying large trophies for the winners, second and third placed teams in the tournament. They are also producing a 'diploma' for every patticipant with the Club and EU logo on. They are also bringing a PA system and will get media coverage, possibly even TV!!!!!
We get back to the Centre and manage to sort out the hot water, the heater wasn't plugged in!
We head into town for something to eat and end up having a bit of a late night.
Day 3: awake before 7, Adrian knocking on the door to be let in, has just driven from Bacau airport with Ioana who wil be staying here for a while. This will be his second of three trips to the airport this week.
ReplyDeleteAfter breakfast we all meet the builder who is renovating the other side of the building which will be the Medical Centre. Adrian is hoping one of the rooms will be completed for us to decorate before we leave on Sunday.(He took us to the merchants yesterday to choose the colours and with Roy's help estimate the amount required).
Our first visit is to School No4 for the gypsy community. It appears that they did not know we were coming but after 15 minutes children start to appear and Paul & Roy try to organise some coaching. In a short period of time two balls go over the fence and two ferocious sounding dogs start barking and growling. No one attempts to retrieve the balls !!!
The bell goes for break and utter chaos ensues all the footballs disappear and I am blamed for not keeping an eye on them. The bell goes again and only the children that will be participating in the tournament on Saturday are left.
As Adrian, Ioana & myself leave we are told the dogs have eaten the footballs!!!!!!! We leave them to it and go to visit Adrian's in-laws over the road. We are given a very warm welcome and offered a 'fruits of the forest' brandy and a lovely homemade mushroom & red pepper dish with bread. Paul & Roy joined us and that is when we had the home brewed 'fire water', at this point we need to go otherwise nothing else will happen today.
Adrian then takes us all to the High Scool, his wife Cristina works there and we are introduced to the Director of the school. We discuss football and we are taken for tour of the sports facilities and shown the trophies the school has won.
Unfortunately we are unable to do any coaching here as they are not prepared for us or do not have the chidren available, but we are invited to come back another day if we can fit it in.
Cristina has to have the car so we walk back through the town, we meet an American lady that Adrian knows teaching TEFL and go for a coffee with her and then head bake to the Centre. We have a guided tour of the RCC and see the work the children do.
So a fairly quiet day after the morning chaos, now about to head off out for something to eat etc.
Sounds eventful! Keep up the good work - I'll be following you on here (thought it was quiet next door!) Take care and enjoy the trip - Sally
ReplyDeleteHi loraine, Paul & Roy,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are having a hectic but thoroughly enjoyable time over there. Keep it up and try not to break anymore windows!!
cheers
Dave