Premier League Kicks – Tylers’ Story

Premier League Kicks uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential.

The programme creates opportunities for young people who are at risk of anti-social behaviour, youth violence and/or from high-need areas to regularly engage in football, sport, mentoring and personal development opportunities.

Tyler, 17 first started attending our Wonford Kicks session when he was 10. He first heard about Premier League Kicks sessions from other children when playing football with his friends in a nearby park so decided to come along.

Although shy at first his confidence started to grow, and he began to open up to coaches, chatting about his week and his love of football. It became clear that he was a talented footballer, so coaches encouraged him to join a grassroots team where he flourished.  Tyler has been consistently coming to Kicks ever since making lots of new friends along the way many of whom he is still in touch with now.

After some great conversations with Tyler, our lead coach at the session, Ben Watson, offered Tyler the option to start volunteering. Tyler was one of oldest participants at the session and was really keen to give something back to the programme which has been such a big part of his life. He fully embraced this opportunity, refereeing games, helping to coaches and becoming an important role model to the younger children at the session. The younger participants at the sessions really relate to him and every week he is turning into a more confident and able support to the coaches.

In Tyler’s words.

Coming to Kicks has definitely helped with my confidence through how I play football now and how I talk to new people I meet every day. When I was younger, I was a shy kid who didn’t like to talk to people and now through the years of meeting new people through the Kicks programme I have had the opportunity to talk to many people I would have never met. The programme has also helped with my decisiveness through the littlest thing such as choosing which team I’m on too playing where I want to play on a pitch which has helped me in my adult life to get a job in coaching which I’m loving’

When asked for his favourite memory of kicks he said, ‘One moment that stands out to me is being inside a sports hall with all my friends, everyone playing football. The other team was outside watching through the glass eating snacks enjoying the view watching all our other friends playing while chanting and waiting for their game too finish so we could play and have them watching and cheering us on.’ 

Through his experience volunteering at Kicks, we have now been able to offer Tyler a paid role as a casual football coach and this summer he helped to coach on our holiday clubs. Once he is 18 he is keen to become a Kicks coach too supporting children and young people as other’s supported him. On top of his coaching training, he has participated in the charity CPD’s training which has included safeguarding training. He is now studying for A Levels at Exeter College and continues to excel at football, playing at a step 5 football club and Tiverton Town under 18’s.

Kicks coach Ben said:

‘Tyler has been coming to PL Kicks since a very young age and has always been respectful, shown a good attitude and willingness to help others before himself. Kicks has given Tyler the opportunity to play football in a safe, secure and fun environment, we have seen him grow in confidence and have the bravery to pursue playing football and coaching.

We are really proud of Tyler, and it’s been wonderful to see him mature into a well-rounded young man who is an excellent role model to our new PL kicks participants. Tyler often shares his experiences with the participants, who are always engaged and relate to him.’

To follow in Tyler’s footsteps and find out more about our FREE Premier League Kicks sessions for young people aged between 8 and 18 years, please click here.