At the Ilan Haifa Sports Center, we prove time and time again that everyone deserves the opportunity to feel equal among equals. On Sunday 4/2/24, a special and exciting soccer practice of the center's "Northern Lions" soccer team took place at the Ilan Sports Center in Kiryat Haim in collaboration with the children of the Maccabi Haifa soccer club.
The sports hall was filled with children in green and blue uniforms who ran and worked in common activity stations. The Maccabi Haifa children's team arrived with their coaches, Benny Hershkovich and Amir Shemla - coaches of the children's and youth department at the club, and together with the staff of the Ilan Haifa Sports Center, activated activity stations in soccer and a joint game.
Orit De Castro Cohen, CEO of the Ilan Haifa Sports Center:
I have known my son since my years working at the Liubak Sports Center in Haifa as the one who managed the soccer teams at Leobak for over 20 years with a professionalism and sensitivity worthy of appreciation, and when we were looking for partners with a great soul and infinite sensitivity in order to create a constructive and fulfilling experience for the children of the center, which would give them an equal opportunity to play soccer that they love so much, we turned to Benny Hershkovich, Benny responded to the initiative and swept the club and the children with him, with professionalism, sensitivity and generosity.
The collaboration that gave birth to the initiative
The initiative for the activity was born out of a collaboration forged between the experienced coach at Maccabi Haifa Benny Hershkovich and Orit de Castro Cohen Director of the Ilan Haifa Sports Center.
Yarin Heyman The coach of the children's team Ilan Haifa shares:
It was very exciting for me to be part of the special training and to see the cooperation of the children from both groups, how much they enjoy together and support each other in the various exercises. I was also excited for the children who seemed to have a great experience.
Benny Hershkovich, coach of Maccabi Haifa:
We came with the group of children for a joint activity. On behalf of the staff and the parents of the children, I would like to say that this was a very important and exciting experience and especially fun for the children and the parents who accompanied them. The activity was excellent and there was cooperation between the groups of children. I want to say thank you to everyone who took part in this and I'm sure this is not the last meeting because it was so good that we want more.
Gili Yoel Arieli- Manager of rehabilitation and sports programs in Ilan Haifa:
"The training that took place today reflects the power of sports as a means of socializing and removing barriers - to see the children playing together, laughing and purposeful, on the same field, around the same ball without difference expands the heart. At the moment the walkers "disappeared" and the children just played football together."
We thank the Maccabi Haifa football club for the blessed cooperation and look forward to more meetings in the future! Together we will build a better and more sensitive society, which will give equal opportunity to all children regardless of who they are to enjoy sports, break barriers, expand the circle of friends and just be happy.
In conclusion, the Maccabi Haifa children gave the Ilan Haifa children scarves of the club, and the children from both teams said:
It was a very fun and enjoyable training, they met new friends and girlfriends, and they would be happy to meet again.