Grassroots Awards winners honoured
Thursday, April 14, 2016
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The 2015 UEFA Grassroots Awards winners were welcomed to the UEFA Grassroots Workshop in Ljubljana, and warm tributes were paid to them for their work in tending football's foundations.
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Excellence in European grassroots football work is recognised by UEFA through its annual Grassroots Awards, and the 2015 gold award winners were honoured at the UEFA Grassroots Workshop in Ljubljana.
Martynas Karpavičius (Marijampole, Lithuania, best grassroots leader), Otakar Mestek and Michal Blažej (on behalf of the Football Association of the Czech Republic, 'My First Goal' programme, best grassroots project) and Elliott Evans (representing Merthyr Town FC, Wales, best grassroots club) – were welcomed on stage in the Slovenian capital by UEFA honorary member and grassroots ambassador Per Ravn Omdal.
The 2015 awards were announced last autumn as part of the UEFA Grassroots Week, which was aligned for the first time with the European Commission's Week of Sport, and which sees grassroots football activities for everyone take place across the continent. The workshop awards ceremony gave UEFA and its member associations the opportunity to pay tribute to the winners for their specific contributions to tending football's foundations.
UEFA grassroots ambassador Per Ravn Omdal.
"It is important that UEFA gives such awards. It serves as an inspiration for every country, who should also look to promote their best grassroots leaders, projects and clubs."