Shakhtar open a gym in Krasnohorivka

The gymnasium, where children trained all the time, was damaged as a result of hostilities. Shakhtar players offered the locals to provide assistance, allocating over UAH 2 million (approximately €68,000) towards the facility repairs. The work lasted two and a half months and during that period, they dismantled the damaged structures, replaced them with new window frames, installing new double-glazed polycarbonate windows while also refurbishing the facade and carrying out the finishing works inside the complex.

‘Many thanks to the players and the management of the club for providing assistance to the people living near the contact line. This gymnasium is just like a second home for Krasnohorivka. The local people enjoy and like to do sports in our town but we could not carry out such an expensive repair. and you can see the result: the residents have come to rejoice at the fact that the sports complex is functional.’ says a volunteer Andrii Shapochka. ‘Earlier, Shakhtar presented children with footballs, sportswear, and equipment. I am sure that they will train here with even greater enthusiasm and responsibility. We have some games scheduled even for today. From Monday on, the sections of football, volleyball, ping-pong, gymnastics, and boxing will continue their training sessions here.’

Representatives of FC Shakhtar, the Shakhtar Social charitable organization, and a deputy head of the Mar’inskyi district Volodymyr Shekhirev took part in the opening of the sports complex after the repairs. They held an exhibition match between the teams of Krasnohorivka and Mar’inka, in which the youngest girl player symbolically took the first shot.

‘The major thing for us is that children have the opportunity to play football.’ points out Inna Khmyzova, the director of Shakhtar Social. ‘Within our main project Come On, Let’s Play!, we share our knowledge and experience, we open grounds, we invite and train coaches, we provide children with everything they need for training. Shakhtar is a big club. What does this mean today? Not only to be champions but also to benefit the society in which we live. This is our social responsibility. The only gym where residents of Krasnohorivka can practise various sports was in poor condition previously, but now it looks different. We will continue to provide assistance to people. Nearby is ground of our Come On, Let’s Play! project: kids regularly train there, and we control this process and always try to help them.’

The event was attended by 80 children, most of whom visit the gymnasium on a regular basis.

‘I’ve been playing football for almost three years now. When I came to watch the boys training, I myself started training.’ says Mariya Zhelnovatska. ‘Even in winter, although it was cool, still it was good. We came here, cleared the snow before training, and then started to play. But now it’s much better. I like it very much, it’s beautiful! It will be much warmer and more comfortable now.’

Olena, the mother of one of the young athletes shared her impression: ‘My son Matvii has been playing football since February. When they started enrolling the kids aged four up, we came to attend the very first training session. It was cold, but my son likes everything, he dreams of becoming a football player. Compared to how the gym looked before, this is as different as chalk and cheese. Just super, we did not even expect this kind of result! I am glad that my child can do what he likes and that he can develop in a sporting direction. We also used to train here as schoolchildren: someone was engaged in athletics, someone else was playing football, other pupils were playing chess. This gym is the pride of our town.’

All in all, about 100 children will train at the Yuvileinyi sports complex.