Videos: ‘We Just Want To Try And Help Kids’

Footballers David and Andrew Bascome today launched an appeal for donors for their programme, telling people they just want to give back as they have “seen first-hand the positive difference football can make in the lives of young people.”

Speaking at a press conference today, an emotional Andrew Bascome said, “You don’t know what kids are going through….I have been through that. I’ve been molested.

“All I want to do, is just teach football and just give back to football and try to just help that one kid that might not have any hope and feel worthless and useless.”

David and Andrew Bascome:

ABC Football Foundation, an organization that uses age appropriate sports programs [football in particular] to empower young people to reach their full potential announced the new fundraising campaign in which they are aiming to raise $250,000 in 2017.

The foundation, developed by national coach and community activist Andrew Bascome, has joined forces with the Power of One, a US based organization run by his brother David Bascome, to introduce the scheme to more of the island community.

In order to make the venture a success, they are urging the local donor community to get on board.

Andrew Bascome said: “We are calling on all community partners to help us reach our fundraising goal of $250,000 for 2017. We have seen first-hand the positive difference football can make in the lives of young people and will use these funds to expand our programme into more of the island’s primary schools.

30-minute video of the press conference:

“First off, it provides a real foundation for children, offering them more physical activities inside the schools. This initiative also serves to educate PE teachers and other school staff on the virtues of our program, which is led by our educated and licensed coaches with many years of training in our program and philosophy.

“Last, but not least, it gives sponsors the ability to ‘Adopt a School’ in order to meet the physical needs, making these schools true community centres for safe and professional after-school activities. Some schools are in need of materials like lighting, goals, fencing, security and full time dedicated coaches.”

Although it is a fundraising campaign, Andrew Bascome also described it as a “fight” to invest in the island’s future and help all Bermudian primary school students better realise their potential.

He founded ABC Football Foundation four years ago as a way to motivate students and encourage them to get active with more sports.

Coach Andrew Bascome makes emotional appeal

Since then the program has helped to deter young people from anti-social behaviors and allowed them to develop leadership and teamwork skills, as well as greater self-confidence, all while being trained in modern football in a dedicated and respectful environment.

Andrew Bascome personally experienced the power of football in his own life. As a young child, he was placed in a children’s home, was often bullied by peers at school and struggled with low self-esteem. Football was his saving grace, he said.

It motivated him to stop skipping school and get his grades up – and also provided him with a sense of value and importance. His hope now is to use that influence, along with his life experiences, to help others discover the benefits of sport.

David Bascome, the creator of Power of One, will be instrumental in setting up football hubs – small communities of support at each school made up of educators, parents and stakeholders.

Andrew Bascome has teamed up with his brother – local football legend David Bascome, to expand this program.

David Bascome at press conference

ABC Football Foundation programs have already been introduced in schools such as Victor Scott, Elliot Primary, Harrington Sound Primary, Francis Patton, St David’s Primary and St. George’s Prep.

Local schools report the scheme has “improved the students’ overall level or sportsmanship”, “taught them how to win and lose graciously” and take both “positive reinforcement and constructive criticism from coaches”.

Henrik Schroder, the Foundation’s founder, thanked past and present sponsors including: Conyers Dill & Pearman, PricewaterhouseCoopers, BELCO, Bank of Bermuda Foundation, Gibbons Company, Atlantic Philanthropies, Endurance Insurance and Seacrest Capital Group.

“We look forward to the continued support from our dedicated sponsors and hope to build new community partnerships in the near future,” Mr Schroder said. “

“We believe that a handful of organizations will answer our call to adopt a primary school. Our coaches are ready to take on the challenge and we believe that many of the schools are as well.”

For more information, please contact abcfootballschool@gmail.com.

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