Sport link turns page on reading

Football coaches from Kick off Dewsbury and Savile Town Football club have joined forces with Headfield Junior School to run an inspired reading project.

The project is working with Year 3 pupils at the school and involves the coaches coming in and reading with up to 15 children a week and then conducting a football coaching session with one Year 3 class a week.

The football coaches were last week joined by Cllr Masood Ahmed (Lab, Dews South) currently cabinet lead on children and schools, who himself is a FA Level 2 qualified football coach.

He said “This a great project in my ward and a great example of how schools can work with local organisations to inspire the next generation of both readers and footballers.

“I have to congratulate all the participants for the development of this innovative project, which is really having a positive impact on the children that are involved.”

Literacy coordinator Mrs Ismail, who organised the initiative, stressed how important it was for children to have role models from within their community, particularly those whose sporting achievements they admired.

The headteacher at Headfield Junior School Mrs Warner said: “I think this is a great community initiative and has created a real buzz among the pupils, especially when some children are already familiar with the coaches from Kick off and Savile Town FC.”

Haroon Adam, a football coach from Savile Town FC, added: “I have really enjoyed being part of this project. We try to embed the love of learning throughout our football club.

“As the great Johan Cruyff once said, ‘You play football with your head and your legs are just there to help you’.”