Every month Under-18 players from the Academy at Platt Lane join coaches from City in the Community at schools and community events across Manchester.
The visits are part of their multi-skills lifestyle programme – designed to help equip the scholars with the tools required to deal with their lives as developing footballers.
As part of the programme they spend time helping out a range of activities including coaching disabled footballers, enterprise activities and football tournaments.
Already this season they have helped with FA Cup visits to high schools in Manchester and coached at soccer schools during school holidays.
Luke Hawkes, Tutor Supervisor at the Academy, said: “Our scholars regularly visit local schools, community centres and grass-roots football clubs to pass on their knowledge and experience to the kids.
“Not only is it great for the kids in the community but it provides our scholars with wonderful experience and life skills that will stand them in good stead for their future.”
This month saw three players - Shay Facey, George Swan and Sadiq el-fitouri - visit Manley Park Primary School in Whalley Range to help with CITC’s award-winning Strike a Balance Healthy Schools programme.
Their visit included helping pupils in Year Five prepare a healthy pasta meal and answering questions on the type of food they eat as aspiring young footballers.
George Swan said: “I’ve really enjoyed passing my knowledge and passion on to the kids and it has made me realise how fortunate I am to be playing football everyday.
“CITC coach Paul McCoy, who led the session at the school, said: “One of the aims of Strike a Balance is to use the examples of footballers and their diets to inspire young people to try new food – so for them to meet potential first-team players of the future is great and provides a real-life example.”
