Dunfermline Athletic have been running their Community Programme since 2000 with excellent results.  We aim to encourage increased participation in football, for both boys and girls, so that children enjoy exercise in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.    The schools were set up in order to get as many children as possible from the age of 3 years to 12 years involved with Dunfermline Athletic and playing football in a safe and controlled environment. 

Our three fully qualified Community Coaches, Craig Bruce, Roger Arnott and Kelly Armstrong are extremely enthusiastic about involving children in playing football.  We currently run the following two main football coaching programmes:

Primary Soccer Schools: Aimed at both boys and girls aged 5 to 12 years of age.  Our Soccer Schools programme is very much about teaching children football skills regardless of their footballing ability in a friendly environment. 

Mini Kickers: This programme is again aimed at both boys and girls of a younger age between 3 and 5 years of age.  It encourages children to enjoy playing football and exercise in a fun way through games and mini football matches, developing their motor skills at the same time.

The majority of our community coaching classes are delivered from Dunfermline Academy of Sport at Pitreavie Playing fields (at our first team's training ground).  There are excellent, spacious facilities here.  However, we do run a number of classes which are not within our town centre to enable children from surrounding areas to participate.

Hamish French, who has been involved with Dunfermline Athletic's Community programme, suggests:

"Through the community programme I can see us targeting a much higher number of nursery and primary schools throughout the West Fife area and, in particular, I wish to raise the profile of our programme not just with young people but with the many support organisations which exist in the area.  I see us working in partnership with a lot of other organisations and I am hoping that if any of them have any ideas they will get in touch to help create the best community programme possible."

"The community programme has great potential and I see us also being more involved with a wider range of groups including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with disabilities and increasing participation by females in football."

Through our Community Programme not only do we want to encourage a fun outlook to healthy living and exercise but of course, it allows Dunfermline Athletic the opportunity to identify gifted local talent from an even younger age!

For further information on our community programmes please contact our community department on 01383 730 730 or email: community@dafc.co.uk

Further information on DAFC procedures and policies:

DAFC Child & Coach Protection Policy

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