Arsenal and England star Bukayo Saka has returned to Edward Betham School where he reunited with those who played a pivotal role in his early development.
England star Bukayo Saka surprised pupils when he returned to a primary school with a surprise visit to celebrate the power of positive role models for young people.
Saka surprised children at Edward Betham School by presenting a project about the role model of the Arsenal ace, who was nominated first.
During the visit, Saka was reunited with his former principal, Ms Caroline Chamberlain, and his PE coach, Mr Lee Curtin, both of whom played pivotal roles in his early development. Saka told the students about the teachers, mentors and coaches who have guided his journey on and off the pitch.
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Children also had the opportunity to quiz him in a lively question and answer session, during which he reflected on his own role models and the skills he developed, from perseverance to teamwork, which he continues to use today.
“I was fortunate to be able to come back to Edward Betham and listen to students talk about their role models and how I inspired them. I was fortunate to have teachers and coaches who believed in me, not only in soccer, but in life.”
“Feeling supported to explore your interests and having good people to help you can make a huge difference. That’s why I believe role models are such a powerful force in shaping you as a person.”
Caroline Chamberlain, headteacher at Edward Betham Primary School, said:
“He has always been a hardworking, kind and determined student and it is great for our students to see what he has achieved.
“At our school, we focus on developing qualities such as perseverance, teamwork and communication through all areas of school life, including sport. As a result, Bukayo herself is now a great role model, demonstrating how those skills can take you far, no matter what path you choose.”
Saka’s return comes as new YouGov research commissioned by Chase reveals the important role of sporting role models in young people’s lives. Surprisingly, 4 in 5 children look up to famous athletes and athletes, and 1 in 4 are influenced by their coach or PE teacher. The findings also show that eight in 10 young people see sport as a gateway to important life skills such as resilience, teamwork and communication.
The Chase Football Coaching Program helps create more inspirational role models for children across the UK by providing fully funded entry-level coaching qualifications and specialist coaching scholarships to people from low-income backgrounds in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
“When young people have someone to look up to, it shows them what’s possible, and the Chase Football Coaching Program is helping more people do just that,” Saka said.
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Deborah Key, chief marketing officer at Chase, said: “When we launched the Chase Football Coaching Program, our aim was to create a long-term impact in communities across the UK. By supporting more people on their path to becoming coaches, we can create more role models who inspire, guide and impart transferable skills that will help young people succeed in the future.”
“At Chase, we are committed to continuing to build these opportunities for individuals to grow on and off the field.”
For more information about the Chase Football Coaching Programme, please visit https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/chase-football-coaching-programme/.
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