European Drone Soccer Championship: The inspiring story of these 15 French middle school students on their adventure in Bologna!
They’re barely 15 years old, yet they’re already acting like grown-ups. From June 24 to 26, 15 French middle school students from the Hauts-de-France region went head-to-head with Europe’s best in the School Challenge category. Behind this wild adventure were three technology teachers—Stéphane Guidez, Jérôme Vion, and Jean-Jacques Kocaj—who laid the groundwork for a collaboration between Drone Soccer and the French education system that will lead to many more initiatives.
It is in stories like this—which only Drone Soccer can inspire—that the sport transcends the realm of mere athletics. Participating in a tournament abroad, forging connections, and gaining independence—these are the key takeaways for Jean-Jacques Kocaj, the technology teacher and driving force behind this project. A proponent of project-based learning in the classroom, discovering Drone Soccer alongside his colleague Stéphane Guidez was a surprising revelation for this northern French educator: “I’d been wanting to incorporate drones into my curriculum for quite some time; discovering Drone Soccer immediately struck me as exciting and intriguing, and I wanted to share that with my students.” The Lille school district was quickly won over, and the project took shape under the name “Science Workshop,” held during students’ after-school hours. The program includes an introduction to Drone Soccer, the history of drones, repair techniques, technical functions, and preparation for the introductory certification in drone-related professions.
The Italian Journey
A project that quickly caught the eye of Pascal Roignau of Drone Soccer France, who was eager to meet the team from northern France. “He came to meet us at the Salon Robotik in Orchies. That’s where he told us about the European Championship and the School Challenge; we hadn’t yet fully realized just how much excitement this project was generating.” The project quickly made headlines. From parents to local media and regional councils, the local community rallied behind the team, much to Jean-Jacques’s delight. “The news spread very quickly. Local media came to meet with us to cover the initiative; the school district and local government associations chipped in to fund the trip; and the adventure won over the students’ parents” the teacher says happily.
A Human Adventure
But behind this athletic journey lies, above all, a unique human experience. From those moments of learning in the classroom to the encounters in Bologna, Jean-Jacques Kocaj remembers only the positives: “The first memories that come to mind are, of course, those European matches, but above all, the time spent in the classroom—the laughter, seeing them so enthusiastic, attentive, and committed to this adventure. Beyond academic skills, they’ve above all learned good manners, teamwork, and how to listen to others. Some of my students who were a bit withdrawn have opened up to others since this activity” says the teacher proudly.
What’s next?
While this initiative appears to be the first step in forging a link between education and drone soccer in France, the future looks promising. As early as February 2027, an initial project could get off the ground in the Hauts-de-France region—where it all began—as part of a national interscholastic championship organized in collaboration with the regional education authority. This is a major challenge for our group of teachers, who are once again eager to embark on this new adventure: “We’ve received congratulations and thanks from all over since our return from Bologna—we didn’t expect such enthusiasm. Now we’re focused on organizing a national school championship, building on the success of the tournament in Bologna. It won’t be easy—we’re a small team—but we’re counting on the strong support and guidance of the Drone Soccer France teams to make this project a success!” says the Lumbrois resident encouragingly.