On the celebration of Goalkeeper’s Day (April 26), a social initiative supported by the São Paulo State Government shows the importance of São Paulo’s Sports Incentive Law in training boys and girls aged 7 to 17 who dream of one day playing for a big goal. Football club professionally.
This is the Escola de Goaleiros Camisa 1 project in the city of Americana, in the interior of São Paulo. It was established in 2008 for a period of five years, taking advantage of a state law that allows companies to invest from 0.01% to 3% of the tax on the circulation of goods and services (ICMS) in promoting sports projects approved by the State Sports Secretariat. Sao Paul State.
The application of these resources in sports and para-sport projects distributed throughout the state has changed the lives of families in several municipalities of São Paulo, including young people Gustavo Brambilla and Lorenzo Biancard, students of Escola de Goleiros Camisa 1.
Gustavo has been involved in the project at Americana since 2015 and tells how the school contributed to his training. He said: “I started because of my grandfather, and here I learned to have character and determination to achieve my dream, which is to become a professional goalkeeper.”
With so little time on the project, Lorenzo goes above and beyond. “I couldn’t do anything when I got here. I helped by picking up balls from the ground. They helped me with everything I knew,” he said.
Lorenzo suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system, says pharmacist and mother Thais Biancardi. “I was advised to look for the project, and my son has been very well received here,” he said. Inspired by goalkeeper Cassio, Lorenzo already knows where he wants to go. “My dream is to play for Corinthians,” he says.
Since the law was passed in 2010, the SP government has supported more than two thousand initiatives through tax exemptions. In 2022, there were 215 projects, and 130,000 people directly affected in 108 municipalities in São Paulo, from the 60 sports developed. The state tax exemption for projects of this type amounts to R$60 million per year.
For Camisa 1 Goalkeepers School founder, physical educator and goalie coach, Vander Battistela, taking advantage of the state law changed the routine for the project. “It was a big turning point because it made it possible to evaluate and expand our project, creating conditions to serve more young people, and this is very important,” he said.
Since its founding, the school has served more than 4,500 children and adolescents in the São Paulo municipalities of Americana, Somare, Santa Bárbara de Oeste, Nova Odessa, Limeira and Piracicaba. The school is currently considered the largest in Brazil and Latin America to develop free sports activities aimed at training goalkeepers.
Camisa 1 Goalkeeper School revealed national and international football professionals. The talent gallery includes names such as Pejorari, the former Palmeiras player and ex-Gorgemi, who had spells at Portuguese clubs, Guarani, Boa Esporte, CRB, Villa Nova, and currently at Novorizontino, and Daniel Fusato, the former Roma and Palmeiras player. Who currently plays for Ibiza, the Spanish second division team.
Development and skills
Registration for the project is open all year, but there is a waiting list. To complete the registration, Escola de Goleiros Camisa 1 conducts a short interview to get to know the students’ context. “Our technical work is quite specific, so our learning involves many details and learning steps,” explains Battistella.
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