The U12s Academy Team is participating in the annual Christmas Truce Challenge in association with the Premier League. The tournament commemorates the Christmas Truce football match between the British and German soldiers on Christmas Day in 1914.
The Premier League project aims to help young footballers expand their skill set and educate them on the history of World War I. Teams across the country can qualify for a place to play in the final tournament in December, which will be hosted in Ypres, Belgium, through either a themed education program or by winning their regional tournament.
The theme for this year's project is ‘Power in Pals’ which focuses on The Pals Battalions. The battalions were part of a wider recruitment tactic that encouraged friendship, professional, and community-based groups to sign up together.
Fifteen players are participating in the project with guidance from the U12s Lead Academy Coach, Lawrence Roberts, Head of Academy Player Care, Simon Crockett, and Safeguarding Manager Andy Wheeler. As part of the education program, players must complete three tasks: create a team photo, design recruitment posters and engage with the local community.
Over the last few weeks, the U12 players have been carrying out research about the project which culminated in a trip to Black Country Museum. Players spent the day learning about West Bromwich Albion's participation during the war and immersing themselves in what it was like to live during World War I.
“I liked learning about how people gave up their fighting for a day to enjoy themselves and exchange gifts with people from different countries” - Finley
During the day, our very own John Homer and Dave Holloway educated the players and showed them around the Black Country Museum to give them a true understanding of the local area of the Black Country. The Black Country Museum kindly provided costumes and props for the players to pose for their own Pals Battalions team photo.
Director of Development and External Affairs at the Black Country Living Museum, David Middlemiss stated: “It was fantastic to welcome the team to the Museum and help develop their understanding of the Christmas Truce and the wider events of the First World War”.
“The boys were extremely engaged, and it was a pleasure to have them with us, a real credit to the club and coaches. We wish them all the best on their journey to the tournament in Belgium”.
The Academy would like to pass on their gratitude to The Black Country Museum for their support throughout the project and hope that this is the start of a long-standing relationship.
The next stage of the project required players to create their own recruitment posters using inspiration from their research on World War One.
“I enjoyed creating a poster for Pals Battalion as part of the Premier League project. I enjoyed mostly working with my teammates and Jake the designer on editing our ideas into a cool poster” - Jah’zi
Once their designs had been submitted to The Academy team, three players were picked to attend a session at The Hawthorns with the Club’s graphic designer Jake, who helped bring their posters to life. The final version of the poster is a combination of the poster submissions and can be seen above.
In the spirit of the Pals Battalion, the Academy players were encouraged to think about how football can bring people together and create friendships within the community. On Tuesday 29th October, the participating players visited The Hawthorns Hub and Baggies Buddies during their weekly meeting at The Hawthorns to speak with the attendees about their experiences.
“When I went to the Black Country Museum and the club's hub for elderly people, I learned about giving back to the community is important, having more friends is important” - Khalil
Albion Foundation staff member Gurdial Singh stated: "It was a pleasure to welcome The WBA Academy U12s group to The Hawthorns Hub. Our participants were happy to help the boys with their Christmas Truce project.
It was a great opportunity for the different generations to get to know each other and we received very warm and positive feedback from our group. They thought the boys were polite, eloquent and generally charming"
The Academy would like to pass on their gratitude to the members of the Hawthorns Hub for their support and can confirm that the Academy is dedicated to creating a long-standing relationship. Players will visit The Hawthorns Hub every half-term for the remainder of the season.
The U12s Lead Academy Coach, Lawrence Roberts has been delighted with the player's engagement and stated: ‘The project has been truly inspiring, as I've watched the boys deepen their understanding of WWI and the Christmas Truce. More importantly, I've seen the team grow closer through this experience. They have dedicated so much time and energy, and we at West Bromwich Albion Academy couldn’t be prouder of their commitment”.
In addition, the players and their parents attended the club’s annual dedicated remembrance fixture on Thursday, November 07. At half-time, the players were invited pitchside to speak about their participation in the Christmas Truce Project.
The Academy selected Arlo to recite his hand written script which shared his thoughts and feelings about his participation in the project.
“Speaking in front of over 20,000 Albion fans was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I was nervous but excited to be out there and felt so privileged to represent the U12 team. Finishing that last line and hearing the crowd clap was unforgettable!”. - Arlo
The U12s attended their tournament on Sunday, November 10 where they competed against teams from Liverpool, Manchester United, Leicester City and Norwich City.
Lawrence Roberts stated “The boys yesterday were showing excellent teamwork and togetherness throughout the day. They competed really well against all of the teams. To see them from the start of the project to now has been pleasing to see and they have showcased all they’ve learned off the pitch and started to put it on the pitch.”
The Club wishes Arlo, Blake, David, Finley, Jacob, Jah'zi, Jaylon, Jonah, Khalil, Lewis, Lewys, Lochlan, Moses, Quyum, and Tai the best of luck for the submission of their project.