The Premier League and Down's Syndrome Association join together to celebrate DSActive Football Programme

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Monday, 14 March 2011

The Premier League’s Down’s Syndrome Football Festival will be held on the 20th March at the Fulham FC Foundation Training Ground in Motspur Park to bring together DSActive football teams throughout the United Kingdom.

This event is the result of generous support of the Premier League and Football Aid benefitting the Down’s Syndrome Association.

The football festival marks the start of the annual awareness events – World Down’s Syndrome Day (Monday, 21st March) and National Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week.

The football festival will bring together DSActive teams from across the country to engage in drills and a tournament-setting providing many of them the first opportunity to apply their skills learned during training into a match setting.

After registration and warm-up, the fun tournament and activities will commence at 12:30 p.m.

Ten DSActive football teams throughout the UK will take part on the day. They are:

  • Fulham Badger
  • QPR Tiger Cubs
  • Charlton Upbeats
  • West Ham DS Hammers
  • ITFC Trust DS Team
  • Cardiff City Blue Birds
  • Hull City DS Team
  • Harvesters DSActive
  • Brighton DS Team
  • Hereford Bulls

The day will act as a Down’s syndrome training and awareness raising day for football clubs. Disability coaches throughout the UK have been invited to attend the day to experience Down’s syndrome football first-hand. Following the Festival, the coaches are invited to attend a workshop discussing Down’s syndrome football addressing how DSActive teams operate, special considerations when working with players with Down’s syndrome, how to set up a team, sustainability and community involvement.

During the coach education session, a DSActive Coaches Resource will be unveiled. This resource has been specially designed to address the bespoke needs of players with Down’s syndrome. The resource pack will include information about the condition, 24 bespoke lesson plans and a summary of The Investigation Into Physical Activity In Individuals With Down’s Syndrome carried out by Alexander Phillips under the guidance of Professor Anthony Holland at Cambridge University.

Chief Executive of the Down’s Syndrome Association Carol Boys said “Bringing together DSActive teams from across the UK to participate in a festival celebrating achievement in football is a fantastic way to kick off Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week and I am looking forward to seeing their football skills.”

-ENDS-

For further information about the Premier League’s Down’s Syndrome Football Festival or the DSActive Programme, please contact Patricia James at 0845 230 0372 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.