Participants of the charity program "Yes, I can!" attended a basketball match of the Ukrainian Super League between Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv. After a tense game, in which the hosts won, the young athletes had an additional motivational meeting with the star idols.
The management of “Zaporizhia” gladly gave the opportunity to attend the match to children and teenagers who have sports hobbies. A total of 35 children and their parents joined the event. According to the director of the club, such meetings have become a tradition for players, because in this way athletes inspire and motivate teenagers to play sports and believe in themselves.
“Athletes are the most socially active people who promote a sports lifestyle. And promoting sports is an extremely important part of our work, so we fully share the values of the Parimatch Foundation. Children are our future, and basketball helps them feel the team spirit and learn to interact with peers, “said Victor Stelmakov, director of BC Zaporizhia.
The meeting with the players took place in an informal atmosphere, thanks to which the participants of the program “Yes, I can!” were able to communicate freely with idols, take memorable photos, and get autographs. According to the parents of the young athletes, for some children, this trip to the game was the first in their lives.
“My son Timur’s eyes just burned with delight. He was playing basketball for the first time, closely watching every minute of the match, and after the game, he wanted to do this sport. He already plays football, and since 2021 he has been training within the program “Yes, I can!”. I’m sure after this game, he came to a full understanding of why to attend training. It is possible that this will become his future profession, “said Konstantin Kvas, the father of 6-year-old Timur.
Not only children but also parents enjoyed the game. According to Oleg Grechko, who came to the match with the children, thanks to such events, children not only get new impressions and emotions but also find new friends and socialize.
“My children have been participating in the foundation’s program since last year. Basketball is our first time, and I confess, the impressions are incredible. Even we, the parents, had a great time playing. The match was tense, everyone watched the teams closely. Of course, it was important for the children to see that the team they cheered for won. For our children, Zaporizhzhia players are real heroes. I think this is a very essential initiative, our emotions and feelings are difficult to compare with anything. And the children find new friends, communicate, experience these moments of joy and admiration together, “said the father, whose children participate in the program” Yes, I can! “.
It should be noted that joint trips to sports matches are a tradition of the Parimatch Foundation. The Foundation regularly organizes meetings with professional athletes for the program’s students. After all, thanks to communication with idols, children with disabilities begin to believe in themselves and do everything to win in sports and beyond. Instead, for parents, such events provide an opportunity to expand the community, find support and share the success and first achievements of their children, for whom the least result – the first goal or throw of the ball – is a victory!
