My Traffick Jam: ISF Boys Football Tournament

This weekend was the final event of the ISF Football Competition.

ISF hosted the first Pricewaterhouse Coopers Annual Cup back in 2008 with just 4 teams from Phnom Penh. Today, there are close to 30 teams competing in both the Girls and Boys events from all across the country.

'Realising that all children, no matter how disadvantaged, should be given the opportunity to enjoy themselves and participate in organised sport, ISF has established and arranged sponsorship for a network of football squads for kids from local school, NGOs and disadvantaged families and communities throughout Cambodia'.

The program trains disadvantaged children across the country and develops them as leaders and coaches. The children from rural provinces are given the opportunity to travel into Phnom Penh for the final tournament and several teams have even had the chance to compete in Singapore and Thailand.

ISF's school team (with students from the school I'm based at) had an amazing day - finishing in second place. Though my brother and many friends are mad about 'football' (I'm still more comfortable calling it soccer), I've never had any interest in the sport. It frustrates me...too much running around and too few goals, BUT - I loved watching these kids. There was still a LOT of running around and still very few goals (mixed in with heat, sweat and dust like you'd never believe), but with all the smiles and excitement...I forgot it was a sport I generally ignore.