The Albion Foundation hosted their PL Kicks Safer Communities Football Tournaments across the May Whitsun Week half-term, inspiring hundreds whilst encouraging a dependable neighbourhood attitude.
Groups of local school students ranging between ages eight to 16 participated in tournaments, beginning with a group stage and ending with several zestful knockout games.
Over 200 Kicks participants from across the Sandwell area attended the event, where most also engaged in workshops from Fearless and St John’s Ambulance - receiving important messages on knife crime and emergency first-aid.
“The Kicks programme is massively important to a lot of these young people,” youth engagement coach Jordan Hall said. “Football is absolutely massive in and around the West Midlands area.
“There’s a lot of knife crime and antisocial behaviour prevalent in this area too. It’s important that we curtail this negative behaviour by putting these events on, where they can come and let off some steam.
“They can be engaged physically, meeting up with people across the Sandwell area, building relationships across different postcodes too.
“We had St John’s Ambulance, they put on a fantastic workshop. What was so important about it was that should any of these young people find themselves in danger or in need of CPR immediately – they know how to do that.
“The guys know how to stay calm, stay alert and to also make sure that everyone is safe as well.”
PL Kicks programmes across the Sandwell area help provide a focus for young people, and a regular accessible intervention to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
“The Kicks sessions have helped me develop skills where I can communicate with people and relax,” participant Carde said. “It’s great because instead of staying home on a Friday evening, I’ll go to Kicks and enjoy myself.
“Many people from different places come and test you, it gives you a challenge against different players.
“The workshop today was really good, we worked on our CPR, it makes sure you know what to do in different situations.
“I love my coaches, especially Kadeem. He’s special and everyone has a good relationship with him and he’s really fun.”
“When I have more people around me I know I can talk to them and enjoy myself more,” Jeneye, another participant said. “I don’t really do football that much, but Kicks have kept me going with my passion for football.
“I enjoy being in the team with my friends, communicating with them is important. When I come to Kicks I like the competitive atmosphere and it gets me involved.
“It’s helped me experience new people, people I wouldn’t normally talk to. There’s some people I know and some people I have got to know new friends.
“The coaches aren’t really coaches, they’re more than a friend. I can talk to them about how I’m feeling and about my football.”
You can find out more about our PL Kicks programme HERE or contact youth engagement coordinator, Darryl Hickman at darryl.hickman@albionfoundation.co.uk.
