Story added: 13th February 2024

Kyle's Story

Seventeen-year-old Kyle has been attending our Premier League Kicks sessions since 2020, after experiencing difficulties at home looking after his younger brother, who is disabled and in need of care.

The constant pressure on Kyle to support his brother in a busy home led to him having limited access to social activities, leaving him restless and frustrated, sometimes causing angry outbursts.

A huge football fan, Kyle was introduced to Kicks originally to play regular football outside of a football club, and it was an immediate success. The Kicks programme allowed Kyle to participate in his favourite hobby in a safe and secure environment, whilst also making new friends and learning from other talented footballers. It also took Kyle’s mind away from the difficulties he was experiencing at home and allowed him to take part in important physical exercise.

The Kicks team were so impressed with Kyle’s improved leadership and communication skills, that he was given the opportunity to coach some of the younger Kicks participants, something that he has thrived at. Kyle now leads team talks and is never hesitant to share his thoughts and stories, which is truly inspiring to the younger members of the Kicks group. Kyle’s brother, who now attends Kicks himself, also benefits from his improved behaviour and attitude and the pair are enjoying spending quality time together outside of the family home.

Alongside his coaching, Kyle continues to play football himself and has represented the Kicks team at many local tournaments and cups. He always takes immense pride in pulling on his Norwich kit and sets a great example to the rest of his team, both on and off the pitch. The leadership skills that Kyle has developed from his coaching are always noticeable during a game and his teammates look up to him as a role model.

Our Kicks team hope to see Kyle continue to go from strength to strength, improving both his coaching and footballing abilities, whilst benefitting from quality time spent engaging in social activity away from his home.

To find out more about our Kicks programme, click here.