Active Fans coaches get together in Glasgow to work on common approach
In January 2018, EFDN in cooperation with Network members Fulham FC Foundation, Vitesse Betrokken, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Rangers FC Foundation, Ferencvaros TC, NEC Nijmegen, Feyenoord Rotterdam, KAA Gent and Valerenga Fotball started a new pan-European programme which will run until June 2020. The programme aims to develop a new European standard and methodology that uses football as a tool to reach men and women from 35 years and older who would like to get physically active again, make lifestyle changes and improve their diets.
In order to jointly develop a methodology and develop first strategies, from Tuesday 24th until Thursday 26th of April representatives of the different clubs, the SPFL Trust and EFDN meet in Glasgow, Hampden Park, for a project meeting.
The project meeting aims at giving participating partner clubs the opportunity to introduce themselves and provide background information on their foundation’s health and well-being programmes. Certain partner clubs are already delivering fan active projects and are encouraged to share their experience and best practices. In recent years, several clubs and organisations in Europe have developed methodologies for programmes that are similar to the Active Fans approach, promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle for men and women that are 35 years and older. In Scotland the Fit Fans in Training methodology exists whereas Norwegian clubs are used to applying the Euro Fit strategy. To create a common framework, the EFDN Active Fans Programme will look to develop a common methodology that can be rolled out across Europe.
The Active Fans project meeting in Glasgow is already the second seminar meeting. The first meeting was held in Ghent, Belgium, in February 2018 and provided an opportunity to discuss the expectations and goals that the participating organisations have regarding the programme. At the meeting in Belgium, from each club project managers and project coordinators were in attendance.
Coaches coming together in Glasgow to benefit from SPFL Trust’s experience
At the meeting in Glasgow, coaches of the clubs and foundations are coming together to receive training from the SPFL Trust. The SPFL Trust,
which also is a partner of the pan-European programme has extensive experience in the delivery and coordination of fan programmes.
The SPFL Trust is for years coordinating all across Scotland the Fit Fans in Training programmes, which is a healthy living and weight loss programme that was carefully designed to appeal to men, which has been developed and successfully evaluated in a major research project led by the University of Glasgow. It was developed to include the latest scientific approaches to weight loss, physical activity and diet.
Two days focused on physical activity, healthy nutrition and changing behaviours
On the first day of the Active Fans meeting in Glasgow, the participating coaches received information on the first phase of the Active Fans programme. The SPFL Trust shared their best practices on how to welcome participants at the very first training session and in which way to collect data to analyse the impact that the programme has on the life of participants. In particular, attention was paid to indicators as blood pressure.
Additionally, the SPFL Trust focused on the topics of healthy nutrition and eating habits. Following a discussion about healthy eating, the participants took part in theoretical training sessions in which they gained knowledge about diverse 
training methods that they will be able to apply during Active Fans sessions as; walking football, football training sessions, circuit training and aerobics.
The second day at Hampden Park centred around the aspect of ‘Changing Behaviours’. The coaches became familiar with the SMART theory, which encourages people to set SMART goals. Afterwards, the group followed another session on nutrition which included analysing food labels of products such as sandwiches and cereals.
Coaches will return home setting up their club programmes
Overall, the two-day seminar provided the participating coaches with valuable knowledge which they can now apply in their home countries and clubs to inspire fans across Europe to get physically active again, make lifestyle changes and improve their diets.
After having had two fantastic project meetings, we are looking forward to starting the next phase of the pan-European programme, which will involve the setting up of the programme cycles and actively recruiting men and women aged 35+ which will join the programmes.
The next project meeting will take place in Oslo in September 2018.
