Category: News

Ben Mor keeping players fit and healthy

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These are unusual times at Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Youth Academy where work continues under the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus outbreak, and most contact is via smartphone apps and computer. For physio Ben Mor, who heads the medical department and is used to getting up close and personal with the players, this is a situation that is as foreign to him as anybody.

Mor specialises in rehabilitating athletes after injury and he manages the medical team at the Youth Academy. He administers first aid to players on the pitch and later oversees their recovery from injury, including players recuperating after operations. He is also in charge of instilling a healthy lifestyle among the players to try to lower the risk of future injuries.

Mor also works at a private clinic that specialises in assisting athletes recovering from injury and he lectures on physiotherapy at Wingate Institute.

“These days are characterized by uncertainty and the day-to-day life we appreciate so much has been completely disrupted. Physiotherapy, which demands close physical contact between the player and the carer, is impossible. Of course, the most important thing is to halt the coronavirus outbreak and to maintain the health of the players and all of us, so we have no choice and hope we can get back to business as usual as soon as possible,” Mor said.

The medical department that includes two physiotherapists, two medics and Mor at the helm, have had to make do with monitoring the players’ conditioning and recovery from injury from afar. They keep abreast of the players’ emotional state and their health through video contact and instruct them on what stretching, balance, movement and strength building exercises they need to work on.

The players capture video of themselves doing the exercises and the medical team can then advise what adjustments they need to make.

“It is certainly not ideal, but we do see an improvement among those who were injured before the pandemic, so we are certain we are having an effect,” Mor said.

“For the younger players, this is a confusing time but it will pass. We need to utilise the time to work on weak points, such as ankle sprains to which some players are more prone than others and this is an opportunity to build strength and stability so we can do something positive.

Physiotherapy’s best contribution to health is to prevent injury, so our regular routine may have been upset but we can use the time to make us stronger and healthier.”

Players deliver holiday food parcels

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After having raised more than NIS 65,000, the “Passover from the Heart” campaign spearheaded by the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation has now turned to delivering over 300 food parcels to needy families with the aid of the players, who are doing their bit while observing health guidelines.

Some 10,000 surgical face masks have also been purchased and sent to hospitals and geriatric care centres throughout the country.

Maccabi’s players arrived at the Kiryat Shalom training ground on Thursday and were the first to take food parcels in their cars to various addresses as they sought to put a smile on the faces of recipients.

The drive is part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation’s ongoing campaign to serve the community and help the needy throughout the year. Click here to view more of its activities.

Captain Sheran Yeini said he and his teammates felt it was crucial to help the community and assist people in need.

“We have donated and now it’s time to lend a helping hand too. Of course, we will maintain the Ministry of Health guidelines to protect ourselves and others and will keep a good distance by leaving the parcels at the front doors of recipients,” he said.

Yeini also talked of the Foundation’s important work and the success of the campaign in raising money.

“We carry out a lot of activities to assist and we feel it’s very important to support such worthy causes and do as much as we can to help the community around us. Medical workers are currently experiencing a very tough and stressful time and we really appreciate their efforts,” he said.

The team captain also mentioned that his wife had turned to baking cakes to sweeten health workers’ time. “Baking is a new hobby of hers and there is plenty of free time at the moment.”

He also said the players were divided into two groups distinct groups, those with children, and those without.

“Those of us with kids aren’t free to do as we please and need to find things to keep the children occupied and happy but we know how important it is to keep them, and the grandparents safe. It is also a period during which we can bond closer as a family unit, so there are advantages.”

Past and present Maccabi players salute medics

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The Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation’s annual Passover campaign has raised over NIS 65,000 with the your help, and a sizeable sum has been channelled to the purchase of medical equipment for the heroes on the frontline helping to treat coronavirus victims.

With your help, the doctors, nurses and other medical staff will be able to continue to work and save lives. There is still a long path ahead but this is a good time to pause for a moment as former, current and future Maccabi stars say thank you to those working in the hospitals and clinics and to the rescue teams carrying out this vital work for us all.

U17 coach gets used to a new routine

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The current situation is a most unusual one for any football coach, as the players and their mentors are stuck in their respective homes, and group training in the open is banned. This has forced the Academy to resort to a new mode of work for coaches, who are using the big screen to relay instructions to the players, and they are also able to monitor progress at home.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s U17 coach, Ori David, has told us how things are working out for him and his assistants as they continue working during the coronavirus lockdown. “The Youth Academy is at the heart of my work most hours of the day, so when suddenly everything stopped, my usual routine was hit. I miss the staff, the atmosphere and the smell of the grass, and suddenly this has made me appreciate everything even more,” David said.

The coaches, fitness trainers and other staff continue to work with the players through communication apps and Ori said he is in daily contact with everybody and he tries to ensure that they and their families are all holding up well. “I think that at times like these, it’s important to emphasise that we are all in this together and that we will emerge from the crisis as one.”

The entire coaching team is working together and each is contributing through their field of expertise, while taking into account the evolving situation and Health Ministry instructions. “We are trying to keep the players in the best possible physical shape,” David said.

As the leading Israeli soccer academy with excellent resources, the players’ conditioning is monitored with the help of the “Soccerlab” programme. “I receive the data at the end of each day and I can determine whether the exercise that we have given the players to work on is yielding results. Each player is connected to an online app and this allows us to far better monitor their progress,” he said. “It’s an excellent opportunity to follow each player’s level of self-discipline and motivation.”

David said that while at home, he continues to develop new coaching strategies, and as the one responsible for the Soccerlab programme, he has been in touch with the Academy’s performance director, Patrick Van Leeuwen, who has prepared other tasks so that the season can be completed satisfactorily. “Our aim is to begin next season in the best possible manner,” he said.

While being confined to his home, it’s also a good chance to bond with the family and to take a break from the daily rat race. “It is a chance to discover new things about my kids and my wife, and this strange situation is also an opportunity for some positive things. I wish everybody health and a speedy return to a regular routine,” he concluded.