The first standard-sized artificial football pitch in Sălaj County was inaugurated over the weekend during a children’s tournament at our Crasna regional center. The investment was made possible through the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management, with the support of the Government of Hungary.

The first standard-sized artificial football pitch in Sălaj County was inaugurated over the weekend during a children’s tournament at our Crasna regional center. The investment was made possible through the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management, with the support of the Government of Hungary.

At the Crasna regional center of the Székely Land Football Academy, more than 150 registered young footballers regularly train, from the U6 age group up to U17. All this is achieved not under the easiest circumstances, as recent construction works have caused a shortage of training pitches, and their financial situation is not the most favorable either, with the effects of economic difficulties already visible. Their main sources of income are the support of the Academy and the membership fees paid by children for training — we learn from the report of Rudolf Stanciu, the head of the regional center.

Under these conditions, it is a significant achievement that, through FK Csíkszereda – the Székely Land Football Academy and the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management, with the support of the Government of Hungary, a standard-sized artificial pitch has been inaugurated, and the renovation of the grass pitch is scheduled to begin in September. At the inauguration ceremony, FK Csíkszereda’s sporting director, Szilárd Cseke, emphasized in his speech: the new pitch is not only a new beginning, but a reinforcement of an already well-functioning system. “FK Crasna, as one of the most dynamically developing regional centers of the Székely Land Football Academy, has already proven that with dedication, professional humility, and community cooperation, great results can be achieved. The new facility now creates the opportunity to take this to an even higher level — more children will have the chance to develop, more training sessions will take place in quality conditions, and Crasna will further strengthen its place on the map of youth development in Székely Land. We would like to express our deepest respect and gratitude to the Government of Hungary and the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management, without whose financial support this project could not have been realized. Special recognition also goes to the municipality of Crasna, which, through its committed attitude and active involvement, contributed in an exemplary way to the realization of this investment, thereby reinforcing the importance of community solidarity and local support,” the sporting director said.

On the newly inaugurated pitch, a tournament has already been organized with the participation of U12 boys’ teams, featuring FK Csíkszereda’s U12 and U11 sides, as well as Törekvés Csíkszentmihály, Viitorul Cluj, Debreceni VSC, SE Târgu Mureș, Küküllő Erdőszentgyörgy, Unirea Valea lui Mihai, FC Odorheiu Secuiesc, and of course FK Crasna.

József Tajti, coordinator of the regional centers of the Székely Land Football Academy, highlighted for our website: “Not only in Crasna but also in the surrounding areas they are doing a lot for the development of football, gathering children from predominantly Hungarian villages and bringing them to training with their own vehicles. They have also made significant professional progress in recent years, and the newly inaugurated artificial pitch will greatly help them in their further development, while for us it may become one of our strongest bases in Partium.”

R. A.
Photo: Albert Vékás