RIAS Newsletter 05 | Page 29

It is the Leningrad region that deal with them. Clubs of small towns have their own sports schools where children gather from nearby villages. Here there is no particular problem. They have their own activities, their own federation. They are engaged apart from the city. We as a school are focused on nearby areas. We are at the crossroads of two city quarters: Vyborgskiy and Primorskiy. 95 % of children who attend our school are from these two areas, in contrast to the two Zenits that collect children from around the city.
Valeriy Rozenberg
Valeriy Rozenberg

RIAS MAGAZINE No 05

CHILDREN ' s FOOTBALL, RUSSIA

>> Continuation

>> Other schools are on a commercial basis, because they have to rent sports grounds, pay salaries to coaches, because there is no state support. We do not compete generally, because the number of children we can accept in the school is limited to the capacity of the stadium, we have one. Others do the same. Depending on opportunities for renting sports facilities, they take a certain number of children. I tell you more, we do not compete, we try to cooperate. In particular, there are sports academies that have branches all over the city, they have football, there are other sports. But we are interested in football. We have certain agreements with them. After them children go to sports schools being prepared enough. Sometimes you see children who have capabilities to play football and play well, but we have to deal with them individually, because they simply did not get some elementary skills. We certainly do not give these children up, but it is always better to deal with those who have some understanding. Therefore, it is better not to compete with such schools but to cooperate with them. Moreover, we all participate in joint events. And there is always the possibility of dialogue and cooperation.
RIAS: What about children from rural areas and small towns? Are they completely out of touch with you?

It is the Leningrad region that deal with them. Clubs of small towns have their own sports schools where children gather from nearby villages. Here there is no particular problem. They have their own activities, their own federation. They are engaged apart from the city. We as a school are focused on nearby areas. We are at the crossroads of two city quarters: Vyborgskiy and Primorskiy. 95 % of children who attend our school are from these two areas, in contrast to the two Zenits that collect children from around the city.

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