SUIVEZ-NOUS SUR
FRONTBALL ACADEMY IN CAMBODIA
Phnom Penh, PSE 2019
On March 7, 2019, the first official frontball wall was inaugurated in Asia! The wall was built within the PSE (For a Child’s Smile), an NGO helping children to escape destitution and provide them the skills required to get a job.
A year ago, a delegation went to Phnom Penh to introduce frontball to children and teachers of the PSE. A great inauguration ceremony was organized by the PSE ECAP and Frontball Development team, with the participation of PSE students: demonstration of frontball, dances, musical bands ... under the interested eyes of the PES representatives who were there in strength. The evening was followed by a tournament gathering about sixty young people from 10 to 18 years old. The new frontball wall fits perfectly into the area reserved for sports and extra-curricular activities. PES youth will be able to practice frontball in PSE sessions thanks to the program developed by Frontball Development with EPS teachers, as well as the creation of a frontball club within the ECAP. The most motivated can also train on their free time since the wall remains free access area within PSE.
This mission successfully ended with great news ... two young people and an educator will join the Frontball Academy Games 2019 in Anglet!
Phnom Penh, PSE 2018
A team from the Frontball Development Association traveled to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, to start a new Frontball Academy. The project came to life with the collaboration with the French NGO PSE, Pour Un Sourire d'Enfant. This NGO aims to help the most disadvantaged children of Cambodia, leading them out of misery to a trade. Frontball has found it’s place in this great adventure, introducing this very accessible sport that the children, youths and adults adopted immediately. After two or three days of initiation, the smiles and pleasure could be read on the faces of these young children. Five sports teachers were trained, in order to sustain the activity after our departure.
Two groups of children were created: 8-12 year olds with whom we have set up a lot of ball games to work on coordination. The older ones, 14-17 years old, wanted immediately to face and play the wall! And very quickly, great exchanges and games came to life.
While waiting for the construction of an official Frontball wall, which we hope will quickly be completed, a Frontball court was set up in a yard and every small area of PSE is used to practice hitting the ball!
The great news is that since we left, the game has become contagious, and new kids have started playing in their free time, sports teachers are incorporating Frontball into their program.
We are happy to welcome these PSE children to our Frontball Academy.