When she was 14-years-old, Jaime Quinn was struggling to find opportunities to play the game she loved. That all changed when she discovered a Premier League Kicks session run by Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation.
Jaime reveled in the environment and the pathways offered to her through the programme and now she is inspiring the next generation of participants as a Foundation community coach.
She is one of more than half a million people that have been a part of the Premier League's longest-running community programme since it began in 2006.
As the Premier League celebrates More than a game, its world-leading investment into all levels of football and funding for club community programmes, Jaime received Brighton's Community Captain award in recognition of her commitment and impact on the game and society.
And as she received her award at a special Premier League Kicks session attended by former Brighton striker Glenn Murray, Jaime reflected on her time with the programme.
This is her story.
"I was always interested in football but before I got involved with Brighton, I didn't have the facilities to pursue it as much as I wanted to.
"I grew up in quite a rough area, there wasn't that much support and there weren't many positive role models.
"I was a girl playing in a male-dominated sport. I faced a lot of obstacles trying to play, because of my background and because of money. For a lot of clubs you have to pay fees to sign on. I was pretty down.
"I stumbled across the work of the Foundation. It was accidental. When I first got involved, I was the only girl there and a lot of the participants were a lot older than me.
"But the coaches got me involved straight away, they made sure that I got a lot of touches on the ball. It massively improved my confidence and made me feel like I was able join in those sessions, even if I felt a bit out of place at the start.
"Premier League Kicks offers opportunities for anyone under the age of 19 to play, for free. It is superb.
"Now we have more facilities, more funding and there's a lot more for the girls to do such as tournaments in different countries and around the UK.
"Attending that first Premier League Kicks session was definitely a life-changing moment for me. Not only has it helped shape the person I've become but it's also shaped my whole career up until this point.
"As a coach, the most important responsibility is to be there for the participants, for the girls, to be there for them, to be someone who they can go to and have a good relationship with. It is less about the football and it is a lot more about the relationships you're building with them.
"There are a couple of the girls who remind me of me when I first started. They were a lot quieter two years ago when I met them and now they're just thriving.
"A lot of things have changed about me through Premier League Kicks. From when I was a participant, it massively improved my confidence to get involved with things that are outside of my comfort zone and then being a coach, it's about improving as a person, my people skills and my impact on the community.
"Coaching makes me feel good about myself. It makes me feel like I'm giving back to people in the best way that I know how to. Premier League Kicks is like a second family to me. The programme has taught me to stand up for myself and that if I want something, I have the ability to go and get it.
"Being named as a Premier League Community Captain hasn't sunk in it. I never expected it in a million years. It's a massive honour and it feels really nice to be recognised.
"I only became aware of what was happening today when I got told to stand next to Glenn Murray! Receiving the award from him was very overwhelming at first but then also very exciting.
"When I reflect on all the things I've done with Premier League Kicks, it makes me feel very proud to be a part of it, it also makes me feel very grateful for the opportunities that I was given when I was younger and that I continue to have now."
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.
