Over the course of the 2023/24 season we will hear from a wide range of local people who have benefitted from Arsenal in the Community projects. Here we find out more about how Zee is thriving in our new under-8s Football Plus group.
Project Football Plus
Weekly participants 100-plus
Available to Boys and girls aged five to 16
Grassroots football is the most popular sport in London, but there are limited places and opportunities for the children of Islington who are desperate to play the same way as their idols like Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal In the Community attempts to combat this with our Football Plus programme, creating community-based teams and squads and providing high-level coaching and enjoyment for the local community.
Most recently, our brand-new under-8 group, many of whom live in N5 and N7, have entered the programme and have been enjoying their time developing their skills and making new friends.
One of our newer participants is Ezekiel, otherwise known as Zee, who has proved to be a really bright spark in the group. An active member of our Community after-school clubs, PE lessons and now our Football Plus programme, his enthusiasm for development and football has not gone unnoticed.
In the three months he has been with us, Zee has played his first-ever semi-competitive matches, trained week in, week out developing his skills and has even had the opportunity to play matches against the Arsenal pre-academy at our Hale End Academy centre.
“At Football Plus I can have fun, get better at football and if I am angry at anything that day I can forget about it when I am playing in my group,” says Zee.
His family are also delighted with the positivity of his participation: “The Football Plus programme is a great environment for Zee to be in with his friends and favourite coaches,” they said. “It’s on our doorstep in the community and he loves every moment”.
All these things embody the Football Plus Programme values: Try your best, never give up, be a great team-mate and have fun!
We can’t wait to see what Zee can do with his ability and passion for football and development in everyday life. Keep working hard Zee, and one day we might even see you on the Emirates pitch…
For more information email Danny Siggers at dsiggers@arsenal.co.uk
Zee in action at The Arsenal Hub. He has been a fantastic addition to our Football Plus sessions
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