UOE sponsors local U13 football team

UOE is proud to be the kit sponsor for the Under 13s team at Finchley-based Sintra Athletic Football Academy (AFA) to help them Get Goals Done (to paraphrase our motto!).

The team was only created at the beginning of this season, but the U13s are already doing really well in Division Two of the Harrow Youth Football League – they’re currently second in the League and hoping for promotion at the end of the season.

UOE’s MD Elliot Jacobs explained why the company decided to sponsor the club. “Supporting our local community is the right thing to do. As the headquarters of UOE is based in East Finchley and Sintra AFA is a local Finchley team, it made total sense for us to give them our backing. UOE likes to get involved with local organisations and charities, so this sponsorship is a continuation of our CSR policy. I chose this particular project because I know the team’s coach from his previous work and am keen to support it. UOE’s sponsorship will hopefully help them on their way to Division One.”

Making a difference to the local community

Sintra AFA is a new club set up by owner and head coach Fabio Carmo. UOE’s sponsorship has already enabled Fabio to provide the Club with better facilities in the form of a larger practice field – previously the 11-a-side teams had had to practice on a 5-a-side pitch; now he has enough money to rent time on a full sized pitch.

The sponsorship is also important in the impact it is making on both the local community and local grassroots sports, as Fabio explains. “It’s more competitive than a recreational club – our job is to develop great players. That’s why it’s important to send the message to parents and the kids that a local company wants to invest in them. I truly believe it makes a difference in terms of involvement, because if a trusted local business vouches for the club in this way, they are more likely to take part. Sponsorship is also an opportunity for us to be more visible locally – we don’t do much PR, so a lot of people aren’t aware we exist. It’s good for the local kids to see there are opportunities available for them, at the same time as encouraging more parents to also get involved.”

Commitment from parents

Fabio feels that getting parents to commit to playing for the Club is as important as it is to win the enthusiasm of their children. “We do a lot of work with parents to improve communications between coaching staff and kids, with the aim of both accommodating and developing them. It is to our credit that parents have become involved with facilitating sponsorship which shows that we have their buy in and commitment, which is vital for the Club.”

Big wins

Under Fabio’s leadership, all of Sintra’s teams have been thriving, and the sponsorship will contribute towards the expansion of the Academy from six to eight teams. In addition to the U13 team’s success, the U11s have only lost one match this season, and the U10s have suddenly blossomed, with three wins in January alone.