#ThisIsWelshFootball
Cameras at the ready! - To celebrate the tremendous work being done by clubs, schools and communities to promote the grassroots game in Wales, UEFA and the Football Association of Wales have launched the “This is Welsh Football” photo competition.
As Wales prepares to host two of the biggest matches in domestic football, the UEFA Champions League Final and UEFA Women’s Champions League Final, it’s important that we recognise the incredible work being done at grassroots level.
The competition is open to all ages and abilities, as long as the photos are taken in Wales, and depict grassroots football in two categories:
On the Pitch – Open to interpretation, this could be match action, training, goals, saves, tackles, referees, coaches etc.
Off the Pitch – Open to interpretation, this could be a pie at half time, team kit being washed, passionate supporters, the bus journey to the match etc.
Get creative!
There are some incredible prizes on offer including Sony a5000 and Sony QX1 Lens-Style Cameras.
The winning photos will be selected by jury members who are experts in the field of football and/or photography:
- David Rawcliffe: Official FAW photographer of the Welsh National Teams
- Helen Ward: Wales Women’s International & Yeovil Town Ladies
- Owain Fôn Williams: Wales Men’s International & Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC
- Nick Capaldi: Chief Executive of Arts Council of Wales
- Paul Murphy: Digital Image Coordinator UEFA
- Paul Gilham: Director of Photography for Getty Images Sport
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a private opening of the UEFA Champions League Gallery at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on 31 May where the winners will be announced and awarded the incredible prizes.
Photos can be submitted here until 30 April 2017.
What is grassroots football?
Football is based on the grassroots, played everywhere by men and women, boys and girls. The sport brings wider benefits to society as a whole, as it is not only about football skills, but also about values such as team-work, social development, health, fitness and personal fulfilment.
Grassroots football is also a vehicle for educational, social and sporting development, and as such, everybody should have the opportunity to get involved in the game. Grassroots football gives everybody that opportunity, no matter what their age, ability, ethnicity, race, religion or sexual identity.
Why is UEFA investing in grassroots football?
UEFA believes that football and the joy of the game should be available for everybody, and considers the benefits that the sport brings to society as a whole to be a crucial driving force in all the work it does.
Grassroots Football in Wales
Football is the most popular spectator and participation sport in Wales, inspired by iconic Welsh players like John Charles, John Toshack, Jayne Ludlow, Ian Rush, Mark Hughes, Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale.
Football is a way of life in Wales: a game woven into the fabric of society, enjoyed by thousands of men, women and children at all levels throughout the year. The FAW’s vision is of a nation where football is more than a game, achieved through realising our ambitions from grassroots to elite level football.
