Six trainees from the West Ham United Community Sports Trust got a taste of what life is like for Alan Curbishley when they took on coaching duties in a prestigious friendly involving the Mayor of Newham at the Boleyn Ground
The match featuring Sir Robin Wales and senior councillors was the closing event of a week which saw more than 3,000 Newham residents taking part in various tournaments and events at the stadium. Before kick-off, the young trainees gave the two teams a tactical briefing and led structured warm ups. During the game they took responsibility for managing the teams, making tactical changes and substitutions.
Despite only joining the scheme three months ago, the trainees handled the pressure of such a high-profile event with ease, and the Mayor was quick to offer his praise. "I would like to thank the young people who did a great job in helping me and the team," he said. "They did a fantastic job in getting us into shape."
Sir Robin was also keen to stress the importance of the work done by the Community Scheme in developing the leadership skills of local youth. "The trainee scheme run by West Ham is a great way to get young people involved in sports. It also provides them with the experience and discipline that will not only improve their employability but also gives them essential life skills."
Chief Executive of Community Mick King said "The Mayor's event reflects the effective partnership rapidly being built between the Club, its community scheme and the London Borough of Newham. It has been a pleasure to see so many young people taking part in events at the Boleyn Ground over the past few days, and we will continue to develop new initiatives with the Borough during the coming months."