As the Premier League continues to celebrate More Than A Game, former England Lioness Jill Scott MBE and former referee Rebecca Welch returned to their hometown of Sunderland to surprise the next generation of female footballers and to recognise the latest Premier League Community Captain.
During More Than A Game, more than 100 clubs across the Premier League, EFL and National League will celebrate their Community Captain, someone at the heart of the club's Premier League-funded programmes who deserves recognition for their contribution to the game and society.
Scott and Welch, who were both raised in Sunderland, helped deliver a special training session at the Foundation of Light's Girls' Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) and present the club's Community Captain, Katie Gibson, with her award.
Gibson was recognised for the impact she has had on participants at the ETC. After joining Sunderland's Foundation of Light as a volunteer, she is now a coach supporting players all the way through the girls' football pathway.
"This is an award Katie deserves," said Scott, who earned 161 caps with England in a glittering career with Everton, Manchester City, and country that included winning the UEFA Women's Euros in 2022.
"She is a role model to the girls here and is the one they look up to, the one they trust. The information she is giving them makes them better footballers as well as better people.
"I was so fortunate that I got to play for the Lionesses but without people like Katie, that journey would never have started."
Jack Gray, Sunderland's ETC manager, said: "She's really passionate about working with young people, developing young people. It's not just about the football with Katie, she's a confidante for the players, she inspires them."
Gibson said the award was a "massive surprise" and described the importance of providing opportunities for girls to play football and how the ETC is "breaking down barriers."
"The girls love coming here," she said. "It's a great facility and we get loads out of it. It gets lots of girls on the pathway where they are recognised for their talents."
"More Than A Game" highlights how the League's investment into communities and all levels of football positively impacts millions of people.
The ETCs, which are run by The Football Association (The FA) and funded by the Premier League, aim to identify players with high potential while making the game more inclusive.
"I would have loved to have come to a centre like this," Scott said. "It's all about finding talent. You need everyone to have the opportunity and for these young girls, that's what these talent centres do.
"It's great for the girls here to be playing under the Premier League umbrella. You don't realise what a difference they make in the girls' game."
Since the beginning of the 2022/23 season, the Premier League has invested more than £6.3million into 72 ETCs as part of a £41million commitment to the women's and girls' game.
"The Premier League's growing success is mirrored in the impact that we can have for millions of people up and down the country across England and Wales," said Anna Deignan, Director of Fans and Development at the Premier League.
"That level of funding is unrivalled in world sport - today is all about the Emerging Talent Centres, and we are really passionate and proud of what that funding can do for girls in our communities."
Since the first ETCs opened in 2022, the number of girls on the talent pathway has more than tripled - growing by 265 per cent.
Of these players, one in four live within the top 40 per cent of England's most deprived communities. They are supported by a further £1million in Premier League funding to help remove the cost barriers of attendance.
"We have come together with the Premier League to support the development, delivery and roll out of over 70 Girls' Emerging Talent Centres across the country," said Sharon Brownlie, The FA's Women's Club Pathway Manager. "The Premier League over the last three years has invested over £6million, which has made this project possible.
"We have now got fantastic coverage across the country, giving local girls access to talent development programmes."
