Papua Football Academy trains at the heights of Tembagapura

The Papua Football Academy (PFA), which was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on August 31, immediately started one of its programs, namely training in Tembagapura, Mimika, which has an altitude of 2,000 above sea level.

"It is a valuable opportunity for children to train in Tembagapura, at a very different altitude from where they usually train," said the Director of the Papua Football Academy, Wolfgang Pikal in an official statement received by the media in Jakarta, Wednesday.

The trip for about three hours using a special bus from Timika did not feel tiring because the different atmosphere and atmosphere was very pleasant for the 30 selected PFA students in three cities namely Jayapura, Timika and Merauke.

In two days of training at PT Freeport Indonesia's soccer field on Friday (7/10) and Saturday (8/10), PFA students were trained with a program to build cohesiveness and received "sports for development" (S4D) materials adopted from the curriculum. head of the German Football Federation.

"In the first training session, we practiced attacking in the opposing third of the pitch. In the second session, we had a number of guest participants attend the coaching clinic. They follow the training program that we have arranged, such as improving the quality of passing the ball,” said Wolfgang, a former assistant to the Indonesian national team.

A total of 6 students of the Jayawijaya Education Foundation (YPJ) in Tembagapura also had the opportunity to taste the Papua Football Academy-style coaching knowledge with great enthusiasm. In fact, one of them, Troy Achilles Raja Mangihut Tamba, wants a coaching clinic like this to be repeated in Tembagapura.
 
Papua Football Academy students during training in Tembagapura, Mimika, Saturday (8/10/2022) which has an altitude of 2,000 above sea level. ANTARA/HO-Papua Football Academy
 
The Papua Football Academy players and the coaches could not contain their joy in training in Tembagapura even though the air was quite cold like in Europe and accompanied by raindrops which were quite draining of energy.

"Training is fun, even though it's still tired but doesn't seem like it's ranking," said PFA player from Jayapura, Chorino Jimmy.

Not only practicing soccer, the Papua Football Academy group also had the opportunity to meet senior management of PT Freeport Indonesia in Tembagapura.

Coach Wolfgang Pikal introduced PFA, the first football academy in Indonesia to apply the FIFA Children Safeguarding principles. He also told how the management of the academy was carried out without leaving education and the formation of individual character.
 
“I was impressed by the behavior of the PFA children. Evidence that they are not only taught to play soccer well, they also educate students to become individuals of good character. I have high hopes for them,” said Executive Vice President of Operations of PT Freeport Indonesia, George Banini.

The same opinion was also conveyed by the Executive Vice President Side Administration of PT FI, Brian Esser. "I believe this program is not in vain. Papuan children will get valuable lessons and experiences while they are at the Papua Football Academy.”

The opportunity for Papua Football Academy students to train in Tembagapura, the work area of PT Freeport Indonesia, reminds us of the special experience that Indra Sjafri's Indonesia U19 national team had in February 2013.

SOURCE : https://www.antaranews.com/berita/3173649/papua-football-academy-berkerja-di-ketinggian-tembagapura