Well, the last two months were amazing :). I honestly feel like Silly and Awoure are my second set of sisters. Also, now I know I will always have a place in my heart for Kenya. Kenya is and always will be my second home :).
Website: www.likonifootball.wordpress.com
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul6veAt4NJ8
I came with many things to accomplish for the L.C.F.L., and I left feeling
My Goals before I came:
1) Set up Goal Posts and the 4 zones within Likoni
-These zones are suppose to have 2 big fields and one small f field. These are four different areas within Likoni.
-Each Zone is comprised of a certain number of teams for the U-16, U-14, and U-12 age groups. These teams play within their zone during the season. The top two teams from every age group in each zone later play in a single-elimination Champions League Tournament, creating a champion of Likoni!
-We set 2 big fields and one small field up in every zone but one (Mtongwe) which only needed one big and one small field.
2) CREATE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE (MOST IMPORTANTLY: MAKE COACHES BELIEVE IN IT AND THE LEAGUE! )
ACCOMPLISHED..ALMOST :) MOST COACHES BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEAGUE NOW..A COUPLE STILL NEED TO HOP ON BOARD!
The L.C.F.L. will be composed of a Management Board, a League Committee, and a Zone Committee.
1. The Management Board shall have no more than seven members.
a. The Management Board shall have two Departments with two leaders in each department: Resource Mobilization Department: Proposals and Budget and Technical Department: Website and Publicity
b. There shall always include a Management Board member in charge of Community Development and Leadership
c. The Management Board shall have monthly meetings.
2. The League Committee consists of one Zone Leader from each of the four L.C.F.L. Zones
a. The League Commitee shall have monthly meetings with the Management Board to discuss Zonal issues.
3. The Zone Commitee consists of every coach in each Zone.
a. The Zone Commitee shall vote once a year for their Zone leaders.
b. The Zone Commitee shall have monthly meetings.
3) SET UP A CALENDAR THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED YEAR AFTER YEAR
ACCOMPLISHED: THE CALENDAR IS ATTACHED TO THIS EMAIL
4) SET UP AN OFFICE FOR THE LEAGUE
ACCOMPLISHED: The L.C.F.L. has partnered up with Hatua Likoni (an N.G.O) and we have set up our desk and computer in their/our office now. Hatua Likoni is the organization that originally volunteered with.
-You can see a picture of Kevin and Abbas working on the computer in the office.
5) SET UP WEBSITE with Joshua..THANKS JOSH
- Check it out!: www.likonifootball.wordpress.com
-soon to be: www.likonifootball.org
6) FINALIZE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS, CREATE PROPOSAL AND YEARLY BUDGET, A VIDEO AND MORE, FOR SPONSORS.
-My main goal is to support the league for years and years to come. Right now, to be able to do everything the league wants to do it will cost about $11,000 U.S. dollars a year. The cost is because we want to be able to supply first aid kits, first aid training, balls, bibs, cones, jerseys to all teams in the league. We want to be able to have coaching clinics, referee clinics, and do many more things for the clubs in Likoni. All this said…The League does not need a lot of money to run..The cost adds up when we want to support every team in the League. And hopefully, by next season there will be 72 teams!
-The goal is to be able to have the coaches find sponsors in Mombasa and Nairobi. However, I will be working here and looking for people willing to help on a yearly basis (If you have any ideas let me know!)
Attached is the proposal and yearly budget.
VIDEO (This video is more of a memories video.. Currently, I am making a shorter version to that will be more professional..I will send that to you within the next week) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul6veAt4NJ8
7) CREATE A CALENDAR FOR THE MANAGEMENT BOARD AND COACHES TO FOLLOW EVERY YEAR
-ATTACHED IS THE CALENDAR
8) DEVELOP A LEAGUE THAT IS MORE THAN JUST FOOTBALL
-The L.C.F.L. wants to be used as that channel, or gateway, for other organizations to use to get their point across to thousands of kids. Currently the L.C.F.L. is working with a N.G.O., Licodep, to have a “Peace and Security Champions League Touranment” in December. During this Champions League Tournament Licodep will speak to the teams about how important it is to establish peace and security throughout the community. As the L.C.F.L. grows we hope to create more and more partnerships like the one we are creating with Licodep.
-Although this is a football league, the League will make sure it strengthens the community not only through sport, but also by contributing to the community in different ways. Each year the L.C.F.L. hopes to hold at least three main events that are not sport, but community related.
9) PUT IT IN THE COACHES HANDS
- I truly believe in the Management Board and the Zone Leaders to run this League on their own. Many of them were already active in the community with different organizations and each one of them already volunteer their time for the kids they coach. Everything is set up so that they can run the league on their own. It is in their hands now to make something that is already successful run for years to come.
So, this is the League…If you want to hear more about my life in Kenya and the people I worked with, lived with, or just hung out with, give me a call or send me an email :). It has changed my life and all the kids and people I got to know now have a place in my heart. Kenya has a place in my heart.
PHONE NUMBER : 614-561-4864
Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
Ben Levey
Director of L.C.F.L.