The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) organized the Grassroots Online Session 2023 to highlight the best practices in stimulating grassroots development.
With the 108 attendees coming from a total of 39 different Member Associations (MAs), the importance of implementing unique strategies that fit each MA's own needs was further underscored by UEFA Grassroots Mentor Les Howie, who was one of two guest speakers invited to share expert insights, the AFC website reported.
The Englishman, who has 40 years of experience in football development under his belt and was a prominent grassroots figure during his 23-year stint with the Football Association in England, noted that this was due to varying cultures, social and economic development stages, and other factors.
"Grassroots means different things in different countries and associations," he said. "How they define it may be different and it is important that every association has clarity on what grassroots means to themselves.
"The challenge is in understanding that tomorrow starts today; we can all do something to make a difference and that is why having a tailormade approach for national associations is absolutely vital one size will not fit all."
Source: Qatar News Agency