Soccer stars give students a shot at hope

Archie practices his goalkeeping moves with Brazilian players Fabio, Paulo Sergio and Felipe. 175218 Picture: GARY SISSONS

By Casey Neill

Brazilian soccer stars shared life and field skills will Maranatha Christian School students.
The seven players a FIFA-certified coach visited the Doveton and Officer campuses on Wednesday 29 November as part of the Tour of Hope.
PE teacher Sarah Inman said that although the day was extremely hot, the students were very excited and surprised to see the Brazilian soccer players back for a second year in a row.
Students from Prep through to Year 5 enjoyed assembly with the guests, who shared some life stories and joined in singing and dancing.
The students heard about the importance of having goals and using their talents to the best of their abilities, to have confidence in who they are and to not allow others to bring them down or define them through perceptions.
Years 3 to 5 at both Doveton and Officer then moved off to soccer clinics where they played games and were put through their paces in training drills.
The players have represented teams like Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, FC Tokyo, Sao Paulo and Flamengo.
The Tour of Hope group visits schools, church groups and refugee networks to share positive messages and impact the lives of the younger generations.