Hundreds of schoolchildren from across the country will tomorrow have the experience of a lifetime when they take part in this year's Premier League Primary Stars Football Tournament.
Over the last few months, more than 800 school teams and 10,000 players have been competing in local club heats for the right to represent their Premier League side in two competitions, Under-11 mixed and Under-11 girls.
The 40 teams that remain will now travel to Molineux Stadium, the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers, to taste the life of a top-flight footballer for the day.
As well as playing on a Premier League pitch, participants will wear the official kit of their club, come out of the players tunnel, have the chance to have their photo taken with the Premier League Trophy and play in matches under the supervision of Premier League and Women's Super League officials.
Premier League Primary Stars Football Tournament 2024
"This gets children playing and it helps with their development both on and off the pitch," said former England, Arsenal, Brighton and current London City Lionesses forward Danielle Carter, who attended the 2024 event at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium.
"We all know the power of football so it's fantastic that the Premier League create these initiatives which allow young kids to experience special days and learn as well.
"I wouldn't mind being a few years younger myself to participate! It's really good that youngsters have these opportunities, to play in stadiums, to play on nice pitches, with their friends. They're learning so much more than just football."
Last year it was Everton FC's Dovedale Primary School who won the Under-11 girls' competition and Brighton & Hove Albion's Maidenbower Junior School that claimed the Under-11 mixed trophy.
The day is not just about picking up trophies, however, as every player taking part will take away experiences and life lessons that extend far beyond the football pitch.
An example of that could be seen with the team representing Wolverhampton Wanderers last year, St Stephen's Church of England Primary School, is a one-form entry school located in a high-need area located to the east of Wolverhampton city centre.
"We know how much it means to these children," said deputy headteacher Nick Pearce. "We know how much it means to a school like us, such a small community and from where we are.
"Some of the children have never been out of Wolverhampton so to get the opportunity to come down to Brentford, stay in a hotel overnight with their parents, they might not have done that before.
"This will give them belief and a bit of hope. The reason I became a teacher was to help children progress, to lead them down the right path, to give them somewhere to go in life. Being part of this and watching them, it's a huge amount of pride in me.
"This is not about what's on the pitch, it's far more than that. It's about experiences for the children. It's about working together. It's about learning that you can do something that you perhaps didn't do before.
"I'll take from this that even as a small school, even in the small community we've got, we are capable. As long as we put the effort in as teachers, as schools, as outside agencies, we can inspire these children to achieve really great things."
This week's tournament is just one part of the Premier League Primary Stars programme, which began in 2017.
Premier League Primary Stars Football Tournament 2024
Funded by the Premier League Charitable Fund, Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to inspire children aged five-to-11 to be active and develop essential skills.
There are 103 professional football clubs across England and Wales delivering the programme in more than 19,000 primary schools.
Premier League Primary Stars supports teachers in building their pupils' confidence in key areas, including PSHE, physical education, maths and English. Resources are created in collaboration with subject experts such as the National Literacy Trust.
It is also available as a free series of more than 650 curriculum-linked downloadable resources, developed by teachers for teachers, for every primary school in England and Wales.
For free classroom resources, please visit plprimarystars.com.
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