MPT Kicks Off its 2019 Grassroots Football Festival and U-14 Football Tournament in Collaboration with MNL, MFF, Department Of Basic Education and Sports & Physical Education Department

(Yangon – 3^rd July 2019) –  Forging partnerships and collaboration with education department and mandated sports associations to promote football among the youth, and recognizing the inherent passion of Myanmar people for football as a national sport, MPT, Myanmar’s first and leading telecommunications operator, in cooperation with Myanmar National League (MNL), Myanmar Football Federation (MFF), the Department of Basic Education and Sports & Physical Education Department, kicks off the MFF MPT Grassroots Football Festival 2019 and the MPT U-14 Football Tournament 2019, at Mandalar Thiri Stadium today. MPT’s top management and employees and their counterparts from the government and private sectors graced the occasion.

This is the second year that MPT is embarking on this sports activity that aim to discover and nurture the fresh blood and potential future football heroes in the country.  It has expanded its coverage to 10 (from previous 8) States and Regions nationwide, to reach more audiences and to encourage them to take up the sport and develop their skills in football and lead active lifestyles.  The sports fest will be rolled out in the following states and regions:  Mandalay, Sagaing, Yangon, Magway, Kayin, Shan, Bago, Mon, Ayeyarwaddy and Rakhine.

MFF MPT Grassroots Football Festival 2019 encourage kids ages 6-12 years old to become physically active and take up the sports early on to develop their playing skills.  As a preparation for this event, physical education teachers from local schools underwent a two-day training seminar under the tutelages of professional coaches from Myanmar Football Federation who shared important playing skills and methods to them which they, in turn, cascaded to their pupils.  MPT, for its part, provided logistical supports like goals, uninforms, balls and cones, and other needs. For the next four months, these Grassroots Football Festival and U-14 Tournaments will be organized at local stadia in the 10 regions wherein the kids will be able to showcase their talents in the respective grounds.

MPT Under-14 Football Tournament 2019, which aims to foster athletes and raise them for selected teams and academies, will also take place in those stadia, starting from Mandalay where 12 teams will face-off each other starting from 4^th July to 12^th July where the best teams will be selected among them.

Mr. Reizo Umeda, Chief Commercial Officer of MPT-KSGM Joint Operations excitedly shares his thoughts on these game tournaments, “MPT’s involvement in football demonstrates MPT’s strong commitment to ‘Move Myanmar Forward’, in all aspects of modern society.  As an integral part of our ‘Myanmar in our heart’ initiative, we create opportunities for their improvement in various fields like education, entrepreneurship and health including sports. We are honored to be collaborating with the private and Education Departments in this nationwide sports festivals and tournaments.  MPT is positive that we can help discover those obscure talents that will become household names in the future that would catapult Myanmar into a strong regional or global contender in football.”

U Soe Moe Kyaw, Chief Executive Officer of Myanmar National League shares this excitement “Last year’s success of Grassroots Football Festival and U-14 Tournament proved that football is in the heart of every Myanmar citizen.  Our MNL and MFF officials and coaches had a chance to identify potential players from all over the country who can be recruited into the national football talent pool. We intend to surpass that success this year.  We are thankful for the strong support we are getting from MPT, the number 1 telecommunications operator in Myanmar.  Our associations vow to discover and nurture these talents who will be our country’s superstars tomorrow.”

Daw Khin Hnin Si from No.1 Basic Education High School of Aungmyaytharsan, Mandalay echoes the same sentiment: “We, are strongly looking forward to these MFF MPT Grassroots Football Festival and MPT U-14 Football Tournament this year.  This will encourage our pupils to take up sports while they are young that will aid in the development of their personality, teach them discipline, sportsmanship, camaraderie and people-skills, which cannot be found in textbooks. It will also develop them to be physically strong and healthy individuals. We are grateful to MPT, MNL and MFF, for supporting the dreams of our young people.  Congratulations to you for this worthy-endeavors.”

MPT also produced the basic football skills drill and exercises video last year with the professional couches and youth players from national football academy to promote the basic football skills among the youths nationwide and these videos can be accessed through MPT’s Lotaya page of https://lotaya.mpt.com.mm/service/mnl/training_video without incurring any data charges using MPT mobile network.

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