Football legend meets City kids
As part of the “Big Kick Off”, England’s most decorated female
footballer Rachel Yankey MBE visited the City of London Academy,
Southwark on Thursday 4 February to deliver a coaching session to a
group of teenage girls who are hoping to go on to represent their
borough at the 2010 Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.
Arsenal player Yankey, who has 90 England caps and has won most
of the major honours in the game, including the FA Women’s National
Premier League, FA Women’s Cup, FA National Premier League Cup and
the UEFA Women’s Cup was impressed with what she saw.
The 30 year old said: “I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but
to be honest, they were pretty good. You could see there was some
talent there. Girls’ football is only going one way and that’s
forward. It will only get bigger and better.”
Yankey played for Brent as a youngster at the London Youth Games
and has since coached her home borough. She has some fond memories
of the Games. “The atmosphere is brilliant. You’re going there to
represent your borough and it’s like your mini World Cup.
“It felt good to play for the team and come off the pitch having
done well. We came second in the girls’ football one year, so there
were plenty of tears from losing in the final. But yes, they were
happy times.
“It was an event that built character. There were people in my
team that played regularly, but some who hadn’t played football
before. So we really had to work hard as a team. It wasn’t going to
be one or two of us that won the game, so we had to work hard to
help the others to raise their standard and work together. You had
to quickly learn to develop your team work skills.
“My advice to youngsters taking part this year would be to enjoy
it, do as well as you can and lookout for your team-mates.”
The visit to City of London Academy was one of a series of “Big
Kick-Off” events that are taking place throughout the capital to
mark the launch of the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games season.
Around 47,000 kids participated in last year’s London Youth Games
in 30 sports from all 33 London boroughs.
This weekend will see the competition get underway in earnest
with the girls cricket qualifiers in Harrow, the season then runs
right through to mid-July and encompassing the Main Games weekend
at Crystal Palace on 3/4 July respectively, where the girls
football will take place.
Playing for the City
The City works in partnership with West Ham Community Scheme to
deliver high quality football coaching all year round. If you live
or go to school in the City, we will be having training sessions
throughout the year on your doorstep. Sessions are used as an
opportunity for scouting talented individuals, with the chance to
compete in the London Youth Games and West Ham tournaments.
Football coaching takes place all year round on the following City
of London Corporation estates Avondale Square, Golden Lane and
Barbican at Golden Lane Leisure Centre, Middlesex Street and
Mansell Street (based at Attlee Youth and Community Centre), Sumner
Buildings and York Way.