Youth football has withstood the Covid impact: stable members over two thousand

FIGC president Orazio Zanin analyzes the flows in the province of Belluno. The number of girls is growing

Almost 5,000 registered players, coaches and managers. And the youth sector, which currently has 2,168 players and female players, is holding its own. Football in Belluno therefore seems to withstand the brunt of the pandemic, revealing a very limited decline in subscribers. This was announced by Orazio Zanin, provincial delegate of the FIGC. Always attentive to these data, he wanted to compare them with the same period of 2019. The last, therefore, before Covid. And interesting details emerge.

If there were 2,229 members in the youth sector two years ago, now they are 2,168. Something less certain, and it could have been expected. However, it seems that the desire to continue practicing sports prevails in children and their families, despite a thousand difficulties. The positive sign is also won by the total calculation of registered girls and boys. We went from 57 to 60. Three more units doesn’t move much, but it’s a nice message for the future. “This is the number of members between the youth sector and grassroots activities who move every week for matches and rallies in the province”, underlines Zanin. «Or even outside the province, for those who play in the regional categories. The fear of a post-Covid disaffection with football was the greatest concern, particularly in nurseries. On the whole, the sector held up. As for the growth in the number of girls, this is a sign in favor of the women’s movement. I remember how teams can be mixed up to the very young category. Subsequently the only active team is the Keralpen ».

Going to an even more in-depth analysis, there is a sharp increase in the number of Allievi (341 against 280 in 2019) and Piccoli Amici (154 against 135), or the two opposite poles in terms of age of the youth sector. A contained decline for the very young (419 against 437) and Esordienti (484 against 489). The minus sign in the Pulcini (514 against 563) and above all Primi Calci (256 against 325) is clearer. “Nothing out of the ordinary,” says Zanin, however. “Many of the children sign up for football in spring with the warm season.” Overall the members are about five thousand.

In total, 28 associations run a nursery. And to exceed 100 members are: Dolomiti Bellunesi, Cavarzano Limana, Cadore, LG Valbelluna, Plavis, Agordina, Limana Cavarzano, Ponte nelle Alpi and Juventina Mugnai. dapo