We earned important points for the club and for the country
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
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Shakhtar midfielder Artem Bondarenko spoke with participants of the Pace for Health project
Shakhtar midfielder Artem Bondarenko held an online meeting with young athletes who play football thanks to the Pace for Health project, implemented by Shakhtar Social with the support of the European Commission. Around 35 children from various settlements across Ukraine joined the event.
The Pace for Health project has been running since early December 2024 in partnership with organisations from Greece and Lithuania, as well as Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, which makes it possible to integrate international expertise. The programme employs a training methodology based on the systematic assessment of the participants’ psycho-emotional state and their physical and technical readiness.
During the meeting, the children had the opportunity to ask the footballer questions, with most of them interested in match preparation, the role of the coach and the importance of European competition fixtures.
Artem Bondarenko, Shakhtar midfielder:
– The main things in preparing for a match are good sleep, proper nutrition and getting yourself mentally ready for the game. As for the match against Shamrock Rovers, it was not an easy one, but we showed our strength as a team, won, and most importantly, earned important points for the club and for the country. Of course, we could have decided the outcome earlier, but we were unable to convert our chances. Answering the question about the coach, I would note that his words are very important, but you also need to keep a balance and not forget about your own individuality.
The Pace for Health project has already brought together more than 200 children aged 7–12 who train in Rivne, Zhytomyr, Uman, Pivdenne and Krasnopavlivka. The final stage will be two summer football camps in Italy and Greece for more than 60 programme participants.
The Pace for Health project has been running since early December 2024 in partnership with organisations from Greece and Lithuania, as well as Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University, which makes it possible to integrate international expertise. The programme employs a training methodology based on the systematic assessment of the participants’ psycho-emotional state and their physical and technical readiness.
During the meeting, the children had the opportunity to ask the footballer questions, with most of them interested in match preparation, the role of the coach and the importance of European competition fixtures.
Artem Bondarenko, Shakhtar midfielder:
– The main things in preparing for a match are good sleep, proper nutrition and getting yourself mentally ready for the game. As for the match against Shamrock Rovers, it was not an easy one, but we showed our strength as a team, won, and most importantly, earned important points for the club and for the country. Of course, we could have decided the outcome earlier, but we were unable to convert our chances. Answering the question about the coach, I would note that his words are very important, but you also need to keep a balance and not forget about your own individuality.
The Pace for Health project has already brought together more than 200 children aged 7–12 who train in Rivne, Zhytomyr, Uman, Pivdenne and Krasnopavlivka. The final stage will be two summer football camps in Italy and Greece for more than 60 programme participants.
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