The team at Kelly’s Toyota hosted a launch at their showroom on Port Rd., Letterkenny on Monday evening for the launch of the upcoming 2017 Calendar of events & competitions for the Kelly’s Toyota Finn Harps Schools Programme. At the launch Brendan Kelly from Kelly’s Toyota presented the coaches with their new branded tracksuits.
This programme was launched over 5 years ago with only a handful of schools participating and today, 5 years on they have over 6,000 children taking part in the programme right across Donegal.
“The Finn Harps Schools Programme’s aim is to continue to develop a programme that supports and encourages children at Primary School level, in the development of positive life skills through soccer coaching & nutritional programmes. In the last 12 months the programme has increased from having boys & girls from primary schools participating & completing the programmes to having at the end of 2016, nearly 6,000 children.
The support that this programme has received from schools across the county has been amazing and with the schools working together with the Finn Harps Schools Programme they have developed a unique and innovative project which is bringing educational, social and sporting benefits to school children in Donegal, especially in remoter areas where these schools would not have had previous access to such programmes.
Donegal Sports Partnership have been working closely with the Finn Harps Schools Programme’s coaches, providing training in coaching and nutritional programmes, which has without doubt been the backbone of the success. A huge credit has to go to all the Coaches who provide their skills and positive attitudes towards sport through personal development to these kids.
Speaking on behalf of Kelly’s Toyota, Brendan Kelly commented, “We have been associated with the Finn harps Schools Programme for 2 years and as a brand it is a perfect fit for our Toyota brand, we see this programme encouraging & developing & providing life long learning to boys & girls at Primary School level through sport and nutrition. This is the only programme of it’s kind in Ireland and we are delighted to be associated. Our young children are the future of our county and country & to see them all being given a chance to participate & grow in such a positive environment is something the entire programme should be proud of”.
Paddy Harte, Chairman of the Programme, spoke at the event & he encouraged the children attending to continue to take part on soccer and sport. He commented on behalf of the programme “It is just great to see so many schools participating in the programme & it is a testament to the coaches that are delivering the programme, and without their dedication and sharing their skills, the programme would not be as successful, a huge thank you has to go to our coaches for all their hard work”.
The Finn Harps Schools Programme, would like also to thank their main sponsors Kelly’s Toyota and their project partners Donegal County Council, Donegal Road Safety, Donegal Sports Partnership, Finn Harps, Anti Racism Ireland, the FAI, The participating schools and the Finn Harps Academy. A special thank you to the coaches, who deliver the schools programme and to the committee who also give their time voluntarily John Campbell, Secretary Finn Harps, Paddy Harte, Chairman, Myles Sweeney, Donegal Sports Partnership, Ann Marie Meehan, Principal St. Baithins NS, Packie Maily, Finn Harps Player and Grace Ann McGarvey, Grace Ann Consultancy, Marketing & PR.