July 25 – An agreement to build the first Cruyff Court, a small football pitch with artificial turf, in Leoni-Via dei Mille has been signed in Como. Called ‘Cruyff Court Stefano Borgonovo’, it is planned to showcase the goals and objectives of the two foundations: the Johan Cruyff Foundation and the Stefano Borgonovo Foundation.
The Johan Cruyff Foundation promotes sports projects for children with a disability often via the creation of Cruyff Courts.
A Cruyff Court is more than a football pitch but a place where children learn about respect, responsibility and integration through sports. They learn to cooperate, make friends, stand up for themselves and for others, and to win and lose, There are more than 180 Cruyff Courts worldwide.
The Cruyff Court in Como will be the first in Italy.
The Stefano Borgonovo Foundation promotes and supports youth football, as well as promoting awareness and research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the disease from which Stefano Borgonovo died a year ago.
In the 10-year agreement signed with the Municipality of Como, the Johan Cruyff Foundation and the Stefano Borgonovo Foundation will build the court costing €170,000 with the help of the UEFA. Once built the facility will become the property of the Municipality of Como, who will have to maintain it.
Three major annual sports events are planned for the facility: the ‘Cruyff Court 6 vs 6 football tournament’, a sporting event for women; and the Cruyff Foundation Community Program which provides an intensive training course at the Johan Cruyff Institute for Sport Studies in Amsterdam for at least one coach Cruyff Foundation.
The Cruyff Foundation Community Program is a project that encourages greater involvement of young people in the community. It gives boys/girls aged between 14 and 21 the opportunity to learn how to organise activities/sports events independently and teaches them how they can make a positive contribution within the community.
The Cruyff Court Stefano Borgonovo will be open all year round.
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