In partnership with Soccer within the Streets, a not-for-profit inner-city programme primarily based in Atlanta, we delivered six bespoke teaching clinics.

Kids between the ages of eight and 16 benefitted from the periods, which have been supported by EA Sports activities – FC Future. All individuals attending the clinics loved a variety of technical coaching periods, with the concentrate on dribbling, passing, receiving the ball, and free-kicks, a part of the EA Futures drills programme.

All coaching periods concluded with a variety of small-sided video games so individuals may showcase what that they had discovered.

The clinics have been delivered on the StationSoccer areas in Lindbergh and West Finish. They’re close to practice stations to allow easy accessibility, a part of an modern programme to regenerate areas near public transit throughout town.

The periods have been led by Chelsea Worldwide Soccer Improvement coaches Ian Woodroffe, Christopher Woodward, Jack West and Tom Atkinson.

There was a particular visitor on Tuesday morning as Gary Cahill joined within the periods, and the thrill ramped up additional later within the week when six Chelsea gamers stunned the children in attendance.

Reece James, Malo Gusto, Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, Wesley Fofana and Marcus Bettinelli took half within the periods to offer a once-in-a-lifetime expertise for the Atlanta-based youngsters, who have been additionally given free tickets to look at our spectacular 3-0 win over Membership America on the Mercedez-Benz Stadium.

The EA Rush event was gained by a Chelsea workforce that includes Cahill, and he commented on the significance of occasions equivalent to these.

‘As a result of it’s such a built-up place, the coaches have been saying the youngsters wouldn’t be enjoying soccer if these pitches weren’t there, so it’s a actually good scheme,’ stated Cahill.

‘I went down there a few occasions and our coaches have been placing on some nice periods and it has been so good to see the youngsters enjoying with smiles on their faces. I received concerned in a few periods and tried to go on the odd tip!’

The native coaches additionally benefitted from Chelsea’s experience, collaborating in an interactive workshop the place they might enhance their very own coaching methodologies. It epitomised a massively helpful week for all concerned.

Ian Woodroffe, Chelsea FC’s head of worldwide improvement, stated: ‘Serving to profile these programmes is so necessary to those communities, who typically battle to entry the sport as a result of lack of area and the prices to take part.

‘It’s been a superb week working with the workforce and gamers from Soccer within the Streets. It’s such a implausible idea, regenerating areas but additionally utilizing earnings from grownup pay-to-play leagues to fund free programmes for the internal metropolis group.

‘The gamers and coaches have been nice to work with and we now have made a number of nice connections we hope to construct on within the coming years.’