To this end, the meetings have given some guidelines and three examples have been included in the following lines: Guide prepared by the Burlada Football School, the Irun School of Sports and the Provincial Council of Álava for the promotion of leisure in Basque.

Burlada, football in Basque

In Burlada (Navarra), several fathers and mothers created the Burlada Football School in 2009, taking the sport and the Basque hand. As explained by its creators and promoters, until now in Burlada, and in Navarre in general, the policies related to the Basque country have been very aggressive. They have encountered many difficulties along the way, but today boys and girls enjoy football in Basque and in the Basque environment.

“In Burlada, each sport operates on its own and it is the sports board that is in charge of coordinating everything”, before there was no possibility of doing sport in Euskera, and in this situation the fight was launched to be able to practice football in Euskera in 2004; five years later the Burlada Football School was achieved. It is not, of course, the only football team in the town. Previously there was the Burlades Futbol Taldea, which works entirely in Spanish. The difference between the two is evident: “We have a clear philosophy: Football in Basque.”

Regarding the strategy they use to do sport in Basque, those of the Burlada Football School agree with Larrañaga: “We want kids to feel comfortable, we don’t fix words wrong. The child should feel comfortable and comfortable; the goal is to protect the area,” they explain.

The creation of such an initiative requires the participation of all: at first they did not receive subsidies, and concluding that it was not appropriate that in order to be able to do sport in Basque it was necessary to pay more, they had to get funding from other places. Today, in addition to children, parents, city hall, local trade… they also help the Burlada Football School move forward: “Participation is important in the games, many parents collaborate, we also put a bar and Basque music from the speakers; it creates a very nice atmosphere”.

Now, at the sports board of Burlada is the possibility of doing football in Basque, and as you have explained, they have a good relationship with the other teams. In addition, they perform meetings with the other football teams working in Basque in Navarre, “to socialize the children and create their relations in Basque among them”.

35 sports educators in Irun

In Irun they have made a special effort to euskaldunify the school sport. The project was explained by the City Hall and the company BPXport.

11 years ago in Irun most children spoke in Spanish when they were playing sports. They have explained that they have managed to speak in Basque with patience and with time. To this end, they have opted for the training and professionalization of free time monitors and monitors. “Monitors and parents are a benchmark for children and the language in which they speak is of great importance.” The monitors created public positions to work longer and with better training: 35 sports educators are currently working. The objective is to create a program that influences the use of Euskera and that wants to be an educating agent.

As the municipal representatives have explained, as can be seen in recent years, the use of Euskera has improved considerably, although there are still some areas where improvements are needed. Judges and volunteers are foreign to sports schools, so they are not yet able to prove their minimum level of Euskera. On the other hand, they have realised that there are few girls in school sport and have recognised the need to turn the situation around.

Thus, they have pointed out several keys for sport and leisure time in general to be made in Basque: making an effort to link the Basque country with positive activity and feelings – avoiding correction – talking less about the Basque country and more about the Basque country, and encouraging the professionalization of monitors and educators.