Soccer Leagues

To bridge the gender gap of female participation in sports, GOALS has established soccer leagues for girls in 8 regions of Armenia with plans for further expansion. Leagues have been formed in Armavir, Syunik, Lori, Tavush, Vayots Dzor, Shirak, Gegharkunik and more recently in Kotayk. We provide the infrastructure, coaches, equipment, and other necessary resources in rural communities across the country.

Our leagues are composed of at least four teams with 9-15 players on each team. Soccer season runs for 6 months out of the year during fall and spring, training over 750 dedicated and energized players. Dilijan League player, fourteen-year-old Lilit shares her passion for playing football “makes me feel like an open, brave individual, and most importantly, I have started to believe in myself.”

By establishing leagues, GOALS has triggered a shift in the mindset of both young and old across the country. Head coach of N.4 Dilijan School, Anna Davtyan is thankful for having a team at the school as it “helped inspire girls who want to change something in their community and in their lives. Failure doesn’t stop them; they continue to work hard and believe in what they do.”

Encouragingly, we already see a remarkable change in the confidence of our players, as well as a positive shift in parental approval of their daughters playing soccer. Now we are finding stands full of boys cheering for our girls. Fever pitch is in effect!

 Summer Camps

Every summer, GOALS partners with co-sponsors and organizes co-ed Soccer Leadership Camps in rural communities across Armenia. Day camps run for 3-5 days with up to fifty participants from surrounding communities. This creates an opportunity for both boys and girls to share ideas, cooperate, and ultimately treat each other as equals.

Through ‘purposeful play’, campers learn technical football skills, engage in sport for social impact games, partake in leadership seminars, and play in competitive scrimmages. First timer at Talin summer camp, 17-year-old Alisa Mkhitaryan was impressed by her experience, as “we did not only learn about football, but also how to work together as a team and treat others with respect.”

These camps also help participants form new connections and bond with those from neighboring communities, and inspire them to take ownership of their hometown. Anahit Tumanyan, trainer at Debet Camp is but one example of how GOALS facilitates participants in the cycle of gratitude and communal growth: “Thanks to the education and skills I received during my participation as a GOALS player in Lori and summer camps, I now volunteer in my community to break gender stereotypes.”

National Tournament

The National tournament is an annual event held in June, where winning teams of the Regional Tournament compete in Yerevan for the GOALS National Cup. The public event is held at the FFA Technical Center-Academy, in partnership with the Football Federation of Armenia.

This is an opportunity to showcase teamwork and the technical skills of our players; to celebrate them and their achievements. We find it just as important to invite the families of the players, to awaken and flourish community spirit and support.

The National Tournament also acknowledges and awards those who reflect GOALS values and principles, such as Coach of the Year, Best Team Player, and Most Sportsmanlike Conduct.

We hope this event will spark further awareness on gender inequality and inspire the development of similar organizations and programs to address gender parity and inclusiveness in sports.

If you would like to be a sponsor for this event please contact Teny Avakian at info@goalsarmenia.org