Second edition of Future Fans campaign gets underway in Eibar

On Thursday 19 January, Eibar was the setting for the inaugural event of the second edition of the Futura Afición (Future Fans) initiative, an educational schools programme run by LaLiga through its Foundation and in collaboration with the High Council for Sport (CSD).

Following the success of the first instalment of the programme, which involved the participation of schools from across Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, A Coruña, Vigo, Bilbao and Zaragoza, the latest edition will see over 4,000 boys and girls from across Spain receive visits from the LaLiga coaches, whose aim is to instil and encourage values such as respect, fair play, tolerance, teamwork and discourage violence of any nature within football. The fifth and sixth grade primary school pupils from the San Andrés Eskola (Eibar) were the first participants to take part in the campaign's new educational workshops.

The session was rounded off with the eagerly anticipated visits of several figures from within LaLiga and SD Eibar. Javier Gómez, LaLiga's corporate managing director and Olga de la Fuente, director of LaLiga's Foundation were accompanied by Joseba Unamuno, vice-president of SD Eibar; Patricia Rodríguez, the club's general manager; Jon Arregi, head of the SD Eibar Foundation; and first-team players, Anaitz Arbilla and Iván Ramis.

In his address, Gómez spoke to the children about LaLiga's aim of eradicating violence within the sport: "We at LaLiga are determined to stamp out violence in what, at the end of the day, is a game. Our aim is to instil values of respect, both towards teammates and opponents. You're going to set an example to the footballing family, that's why we're counting on you and we look forward to seeing you do so", he declared.

Meanwhile, the Armeros vice-president, Unamuno, sought to highlight that Eibar constantly seeks to instil the same values as those advocated by the Future Fans project, whilst encouraging the children to put those values into practice.

"We're a small and united club that's risen from the bottom. You've got to pass on everything that you've learned today when you go to along to Ipurúa to cheer on the team with your parents".

With expectation levels at any all time high amongst the pupils, it was the turn of Arbilla and Ramis to address the youngsters, with both players expressing their commitment to the scheme. As Ramos noted, "This LaLiga-run educational project is a great initiative to ensure that naughty words aren't heard in football grounds. It's a really good project aimed at making supporters aware of the importance of getting behind your team, whilst always displaying respect". Fellow defender, Arbilla, went on to add that, "The steps that LaLiga is taking in looking after the values within the game are really positive. Friendliness and camaraderie are above everything else in football".