Coleraine FC has introduced the Benny 200 Roadshow, a free football program for the community that will travel to ten different places in the region between November and April. With backing from main sponsor Fibrus, the project provides coaching for kids between five and twelve years old, seeking to increase local access to the sport. The club's community efforts mirror the success of the first team, which sits top of the Premiership with 35 points from 14 games, having recorded 11 wins, two draws and one loss.
David McDaid, who leads community football for the club, manages the initiative. McDaid expressed his pleasure at starting the roadshow and the excellent effort to take football straight to various neighborhoods. Every tour location will host two separate hour-long sessions tailored for different age brackets, capping each group at 25 children. This setup can accommodate as many as 50 young participants per stop, meaning the whole tour could involve hundreds of kids.
The first event is scheduled for this weekend at a community pitch in Coleraine, and it has no remaining spaces. After that, the roadshow will visit a new community site each month. The planned itinerary includes stops in Portrush, Bushmills, Ballycastle, Mosside, Ballymoney, Kilrea, Dungiven, Limavady, and concludes in Portstewart.
Colin Hutchinson, the Managing Director of Fibrus, noted his firm's support for the endeavor. Hutchinson called the roadshow a wonderful project from the football club and stated Fibrus was excited to participate. The company plans to give out gift bags and online safety guides to children attending the sessions.
Club CEO Dale Pryde-MacDonald stressed that the roadshow embodies a key strategic focus on actively connecting with the community. He has mentioned before that the club believes in reaching out rather than expecting people to come to them. This community activity coincides with the senior team's successful league campaign, where they currently lead the standings with a two-point advantage over second-placed Linfield. Their performances lately have been strong, featuring four wins and one draw in their last five matches, making them unbeaten in that run. This form includes a 1-1 draw with Glentoran on Saturday 30 October and a 5-0 victory away to Crusaders FC on Saturday 24 October. The team has scored 32 goals this season while conceding only 13. They aim to maintain that form in an upcoming game away to Linfield on Saturday 7 November.
The Benny 200 Roadshow aims to build stronger links with the community and offer beneficial experiences for young people and their families. Booking for future stops on the tour will open once the prior event has finished, with the program continuing until spring.
This story first appeared at Coleraine FC
