Yim Sovath coaches 78 children and young adults aged 10-22 years old of mixed abilities each week, providing technical football skills and social impact training. Many of his players participate in the AIA-ISF Youth League which he acknowledges as the driving force behind the focus and determination of his players to succeed.

Sovath is a seasoned coach and first developed his passion for football as a teenager when he played for the Cambodian Civil Aviation’s team in the amateur league. The real joy of the game for Sovath these days is seeing the smiles on his players’ faces. Through his role with ISF he sees every training session as on opportunity to transform young players’ lives by providing them with a positive experience. Central to this experience, says Sovath, is the AIA-ISF Youth League.

The league motivates the players to work hard and to form healthy habits and lifestyles that he hopes will last them a lifetime. An important aspect to this, he explains, is the weekly training which is which has a social impact focus, using football to educate players on important and relevant issues such as health and wellness, conflict resolution, alcohol and substance abuse, Child Rights; and much more. Lessons like these focus on educating youth on how to move away from conformity and to reflect instead on other choices available to them, encouraging them to develop life skills that will allow them to think more critically in their everyday lives.

Despite his wealth of experience as a coach, Sovath is the first to throw hands up and say he has more to learn. Thanks to AIA, he has received direct training from elite coaches of the UK-based Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (“Spurs”), of which AIA is the Global Principal Partner. He describes the Spurs training as one the most important training sessions he’s attended due to its focus on organisation and planning. From learning how to make a coaching plan for an entire year to how to coach using educational and motivational methods, Sovath has welcomed the opportunity to further his skills and help improve his players’ skills.

Sovath counts working as a football coach for ISF as one of the biggest achievements of his life but like a true team player he says it’s his team – his colleagues in the league and ISF’s Football Programme – that have motivated and inspired him to get to where he is today.