Festival 16 through the lens of our France team
Part two of our recap series from streetfootballworld's global youth conference held this summer in Lyon, France.
Alongside 500 new friends from across the globe, our Festival ’16 team of Ler, Adam, Destinee, Lionel, and Shell focused, zoomed, and posed all throughout streetfootballworld’s celebration of the beautiful game in France.
Take a look at a few of our favorite Festival ’16 photos, then check out the full album over on our Facebook page.
Festival 16: football3 teaches a unique approach to the beautiful game
football3 represented more than just a game for the 500+ participants at streetfootballworld Festival ’16.
Many of the international youth conference’s participants — including Ler, Adam, Destinee, and Lionel from the Soccer in the Streets delegation — received their first exposure to football3's social playing style while attending the global celebration in Lyon, France.
Rather than emphasizing final scores or individual glory, football3 focuses on the community aspects of the game — interacting with one another, learning from peers, and using the sport for a greater purpose than simply winning on the scoreboard. This approach stresses important values like teamwork, leadership, respect, equality, conflict resolution, and much more.
Here’s how streetfootballworld describes the method:
Named after its ‘three halves’–a pre-match discussion, football game, and post-match discussion–football3 incorporates key life lessons into every match. In mixed-gender teams, players collectively decide on the rules before the game. Following the match, they reflect on their behaviour and the behaviour of their opponents, with points awarded for goals as well as for fair play.
[streetfootballworld’s official football3 handbook]
For the tournament, Festival ’16 participants split up into co-ed football3teams that matched up players who represent delegations from across the globe on the teams. Young Leaders — such as Clarkston FC coach and program graduate Adam Adam — mediated each game. About 80 football3mediators facilitated the on-field action, simultaneously filling the role of coach, referee, teammate, and friend.
Congrats to Team Jasiyes for lifting the trophy at Festival ‘16!
Team Jasiyes — featuring young players who hailed from Colombia, Indonesia, Germany and Brazil — won the Copa Andres Escobar after the two-day tournament, but everyone at Festival ’16 benefited from the style of play.
After returning from Lyon, Destinee, Ler, and Lionel talked about their experience with this unique approach to the beautiful game.
Explain what football3 is all about.
Destinee: football3 was designed so us teenagers could figure out how to run a game, that was fair, on our own. It taught me patience with people who didn’t play fair at all. It’s a good way to play my favorite game.
Ler: football3 is all about playing fair and having fun. It is not just about winning the game.
Lionel: football3 was about following rules and having a lot of fun.
What works in football3?
Destinee: Everything.
Ler: Making your own rules.
Lionel: I think a lot of things work because we all follow the rules.
What would you change about football3 to help newcomers?
Destinee: Having the same rules every time we played.
Ler: I think football3 is working all the time because players make the rules and discuss the rules.
Lionel: I think we could have the same rules in every game.
What is a football3 mediator?
Destinee: Someone who teaches about football3 then stands back to watch the game. After the game, mediators talk to each team to see if anyone had any problems while playing.
Ler: Mediators are the host of football3. They write down the rules that the players make and observe the game to make sure the player’s don’t break the regulation.
Lionel: Mediators are the people that made us make our own rules and make sure we follow the rules.
Could you be a football3 mediator?
Destinee: Yes
Ler: Yes. I think I will be the best mediator.
Lionel: Maybe.
Introducing our Street Team campaign
A new way to connect with our grassroots soccer outreach.
As Soccer in the Streets grows, we need your support to provide more opportunities for disadvantaged kids in the Atlanta area. Previous campaigns allowed the organization to expand programming to new locations, and goals have been set even higher for 2016 and beyond.
Our Street Team will create a unique new community among our supporters. Signing up for a recurring monthly membership will result in exclusive rewards, frequent recognition of your effort, and a deep understanding of exactly how much our kids accomplish with your generosity.
By joining this new group of Soccer in the Streets supporters, you will become a vital part of the team and directly impact the lives of all the kids in our programs.
WHY JOIN THE TEAM?
Stay in touch with a Street Team newsletter, an exclusive Facebook group, and unique multimedia content that details the impact you have on our kids
Receive invites to exclusive social events like pub crawls, tournaments, special panels, and much more — all while competing for a chance to win prizes
Build strong relationships with supporters who share a common interest: Growing Atlanta’s soccer community, especially through youth outreach
HOW TO JOIN THE TEAM
- Visit soccerstreets.org/donate
- Select a monthly, recurring donation option to officially sign up for the Street Team.
- Spread the word, participate in Street Team initiatives and watch out for special offers, contests, and community events.
STREET TEAM BENEFITS
- Supporters ($10–$29 per month) — Soccer in the Streets scarf, monthly newsletter only for Street Team members, invitations to social gatherings and “game of the month” events within our programs, pre-sale access to event tickets, and an exclusive Facebook group.
- Champions ($30 -$49 per month) — In addition to Supporter benefits, Champions will also receive a Street Team t-shirt and exclusive, behind-the-scenes multimedia content from programs and events.
- Legends ($50+ per month) — Along with the rest of the Street Team perks, Legends receive a branded Adidas jacket or polo, complimentary tickets to events, and personal correspondence with our staff and players.