Fulham FC Foundation has an excellent and long-standing partnership with the Down’s Syndrome Association| (DSA). One of the many outstanding initiatives run by the DSA is the DSActive project which provides children and young adults with Down’s Syndrome a tailored to get involved in quality football provision.
Fulham FC Foundation is working in collaboration with the DSA to help develop sport for people with Down’s Syndrome and currently offer a Football project ‘the Badgers’ and an innovative Tennis activity.
DS Football
The Fulham Badgers were established by Fulham FC Foundation in 2006 and were the first Down’s Syndrome specific football coaching project in the country. Since the Badgers inception the Fulham template has been utilised by the DSA to replicate similar projects in partnership with other Professional Club community schemes.
‘Badgers’ training takes place every Friday (excluding school holidays) at Raynes Park High School. There are two sessions, one for the older participants (10+) and another for the slightly younger mini-badgers (5 – 10). All the sessions focus on skill development in a fun, sociable environment and there is an opportunity to play against other Down’s syndrome football teams in regularly scheduled tournaments.
In April 2010, the Fulham Badgers went on an exchange tour to Hong Kong, thanks largely to a huge collective fundraising effort, including parents, the DSA and the club, helping the Badgers become the first UK based Down’s syndrome football team to travel to the Far East. In March 2011, Fulham FC Foundation will host the first “Premier League Down’s Syndrome Tournament.”
Fridays
Raynes Park High School, Bushey Road, London, SW20 0JL.
17.00-18.30 (17.00–18.00 for the Mini-Badgers)
DS Tennis
Fulham FC Foundation in partnership with the Tennis Foundation facilitates a tennis session for people with Down’s Syndrome on Tuesday evenings.
During the summer, this session takes place at the ultra modern National Tennis Centre complex in Roehampton before moving inside to the Tiffin Sports Centre in Kingston throughout the winter.
The session is delivered by qualified tennis foundation coaches, with support from Fulham FC Foundation coaches and volunteers. The session focuses on development of tennis skills, including co-ordination, balance and agility and, in May 2010 was filmed by the BBC and shown on Match of the Day.
Tuesdays
National Tennis Centre, Roehampton (April – September)
Tiffin Sports Centre, Kingston (October – March)
18.00-19.00