Premier League Kicks Cup: Providing experiences to last a lifetime

The iconic St. George's Park was the venue this summer for the latest edition of the Premier League Kicks Cup.

More than 180 young people from 24 professional football clubs took part in the Under-16 mixed tournament, which celebrates the work that Premier League Kicks delivers across England and Wales to support communities throughout the year.

Six hundred participants representing 88 professional football clubs were involved in regional qualifying tournaments in the hope of earning the chance to play in the tournament.

At St. George's Park they wore their club's first-team playing kit while Premier League, EFL and Women's Super League match officials took charge of the matches. The young people also attended gender equality workshops and heard from inspirational speakers.

As part of Premier League Kicks, clubs work with 36 police forces throughout the country to tackle issues affecting young people. The Premier League Kicks Cup gave representatives from professional football club charities, Premier League, Premier League Charitable Fund, police forces and the National Police Chief's Council the opportunity to explore further opportunities to work together to create safer and more inclusive communities.

We spoke to some of the people involved on that day to find out what the tournament and Premier League Kicks means to them. Here are their stories.

Tom, Southampton

"It's amazing to be a part of today. It's a one-time opportunity. Premier League Kicks means everything to me. Football with your mates, it's class.

"I started Kicks as a participant when I was about 12 and for the last two or so years I have been helping out and volunteering. I started off a bit shy, not wanting to coach kids, but now I'm running sessions with Saints Foundation coaches. It's really good.

"It's crazy to be at the same place I was a participant. It's just really fun to be able to coach and get all the kids laughing.

"I think quite a few people look up to me. I've got people coming into school saying, 'how do I do what you're doing, how can I be a coach?'

"I have changed and looking back, I can't believe the progress I have made. My confidence has gone up. I love coaching. I'm trying to do my UEFA B Licence. I'm taking this quite seriously. This is hopefully going to be a career and a pathway for me now."

Omar, Coventry City

"I've been playing football since I was young and I haven't gone down the same path like other people my age.

"I didn't have a father figure when I was growing up but I don't let it affect me anymore. I'm learning life skills and how I'll be an adult, how to be mature.

"Being at the Premier League Kicks Cup has been good, it's been a lot fun. We were all excited when we arrived. We were ready to play.

"Just being here will be a great memory. Playing on the same pitch as some of the best players in England gives me hope. It's inspired the whole of our team.

"Premier League Kicks means a lot to me. It helps me meet new people. Without Premier League Kicks, I could be on a different path, it's been very important in stopping that."

Oscar, West Ham United

"Through Premier League Kicks and the coaches, they have helped bring out my personality. Having these coaches around you, it allows you to become more of a good person and someone that can help the area a lot more.

"Being part of today is like a dream. We are playing where a lot of the best players in the country have played. When you come to places like this, it can only inspire you to go further and be better.

"Representing West Ham, my home club, it's like I'm representing the borough in a sense. It's just for me just to go out there, do my best and try to make myself proud and the people in my area proud as well. That's important to me. It's about being a person that others can look up to and see that they can do well for themselves."

Michelle Shooter, Assistant Chief Constable, Derbyshire Police 

"Premier League Kicks offers us and our officers the ability to show people that without the uniform we're just normal members of a community who enjoy playing football, coaching, supporting, mentoring and want to do good. It really breaks down those barriers for us in policing.

"Premier League Kicks helps tackle anti-social behaviour in lots of ways. Anti-social behaviour affects public confidence. So a really key area for me would be around our young people, where we can focus Premier League Kicks, policing and partners, in addressing local vulnerability and anti-social behaviour.

"Premier League Kicks opens doors for us that we wouldn't be able to open on our own. So that is the vehicle that Premier League Kicks can give to policing. To enable us to get to places where we would probably struggle to really connect with young people."

Bobby, Queens Park Rangers

"Being at St. George's Park is brilliant. One day I want to play for England, so this is where I want to train when I'm older. The pitches and the facilities are amazing.

"I just love the opportunities that we get through Premier League Kicks. Like these days out where we can come together and play football as a community.

"A Premier League Kicks session allows people in the community and across the country to come together, play football and showcase the game that we love. I've made friends for life on this team."

Ash McBride, senior community coach, Sky Blues In The Community

"Premier League Kicks provides a safe and a comfortable environment for the kids in our area. It gives them a chance to mix with other people. We have 120 young people on a Friday night, the atmosphere is just unreal.

"The young people know it's an open community when they come to our Premier League Kicks sessions. You know that they're going to be safe because they've already told the others that this is the right way.

"It's also knowing that they're making those positive choices once they go out of the gates.

"Our team have never been at St. George's Park before, they were so excited. It's amazing for them. They've worked very hard to get here so it's good to reward them.

"It shows them what they can achieve. It shows that it doesn't matter how high you set your target, it can be reached as long as you push yourself."

Osayu, Everton

"There are massive teams here, all playing together just to be the best in the country. This is a massive opportunity for young people like me, my team and everyone else.

"What I love about Premier League Kicks is the opportunities they give us. I want to make it so I need to work on myself and they're giving me opportunities to do that. I'm very happy to represent Everton.

"I've made a lot of friends through Premier League Kicks. When I go there I know everyone, everyone knows me. I'm very grateful. It's very safe and they really take care of you."

Dan Diamond, partnership lead, Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit

"Premier League Kicks obviously has its own unique benefits as it is such a well-organised, long standing programme, but as part of that community sport offer, it plays a vital role in providing a safe space for young people to come together, to feel included and to grow in confidence.

"Often people talk about sport as a diversionary activity, like it's just a distraction, but it absolutely isn't. It's a destination for young people, where they learn and grow in really important life skills and a discovery of themselves.

"Along with other sort of community sport provision, Premier League Kicks is more than just simply an offer of a destination or a diversionary approach. It's a vital place for young people to go and feel safe, to feel supported, to make friends, to get out of their homes.

"We often talk about isolation and the mental health of young people today. Physical activity and the stimulus it provides plays a really important role in the development of young people.

"It's also about giving people a sense of belonging, community and identity. When people start to experience those feelings, they start to take a bit more pride and are a bit more invested."

Freya Waterhouse, Premier League Kicks co-ordinator, Foundation 92

"We are the only all-girls team here. We told them they would be the only girls team and asked if they still wanted to go and I'm really proud that they said yes. It's an amazing statement to make. They stuck at it the whole day.
 
"Hopefully this will give them more confidence to play against different teams. They’ve really enjoyed the experience and it shows how resilient they are. It's amazing just being here. What an experience, not many young people get the chance to do this.
 
"The opportunity to play here shows girls they can be playing football and do well at it.
 
"The group are really good fun. They have been with us for about two years now and the Premier League Kicks sessions have given them somewhere to have fun playing football, there's no pressure.
 
"What happens on the pitch is only half of the story. Our main Premier League Kicks session is in an area where there's a lot of anti-social behaviour so the programme is providing another option and a safe space where they can come and be a young person rather than go down another path."

Michael, Charlton Athletic

"St. George's Park is an amazing place to play. The atmosphere is fantastic. Growing up I was a Charlton Athletic fan and to represent my club in Premier League Kicks is amazing.

"I didn't really have that many friends when I started but I kept coming to Premier League Kicks and I have made more friends. I play more football, I have something to do, it's great.

"It's a safe place to go, you can talk to friends, you can show your skills. It's the fun part of the day.

"I would encourage anyone to take part, 100 per cent, because it's having such a great impact on me. It does you a great favour, you have more time to socialise and you have a hobby as well."

Premier League Kicks, funded by the Premier League through the Premier League Charitable Fund, uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential, in some of the most high-need areas in England and Wales.

More than half a million people have benefited to date.