Friday 20th June 2025

The Players’ Project Pilot supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association, continued its powerful community journey with a memorable visit to Lyon Park Primary School, where football legend and former England international Rachel Yankey spent the day inspiring young people from four local schools.

Excitement filled the air as both boys and girls eagerly gathered on the pitch, thrilled to meet Rachel. The day began with Rachel warmly greeting the students, offering words of encouragement focused on one simple but powerful message: have fun.

One of the day’s standout moments came when Coach Annis a current PE teacher from Elsley Primary school approached Rachel with a story. He shared that, nearly two decades ago, he had been a participant in one of Rachel’s sessions at Mitchell Brook Primary School. With some hesitation, he asked if she remembered him and to everyone’s delight, Rachel did. It was a full-circle moment that reflected the long-lasting impact of community engagement and mentorship.

From there, the tournament kicked off. With many of the teams proudly wearing kits, given to them by the Premier League, the competition was high. Great goals, impressive skills, and strong teamwork were on full display. Rachel was actively engaged on the sidelines, applauding the young players and celebrating the spirit of the game. She highlighted how encouraging it was to see both boys’ and girls’ teams out on the pitch playing together, having fun, and showing respect.

The day concluded with an inspiring Q&A session led by Rachel and a group of young girls. The questions were thoughtful and mature, ranging from “What were some setbacks you faced?” to “What made you fall in love with football?” Rachel answered each with honesty, offering the girls valuable insights and encouragement.

We then caught up with a group of girls from Lyon Park Primary who shared how impactful it was to meet someone like Rachel. They spoke about how she gave them belief in themselves, and how inspiring it was to have a professional footballer someone from their own community visit and speak directly to them.

To close, Sean Moran, Assistant Head Teacher at Lyon Park, reflected on the day:

“It’s so important for our young people to meet someone like Rachel, someone who grew up locally, shares their background, and has achieved so much. It shows them what’s possible. Today was a great day for all the schools involved.”

From inspiration to action, this player-led initiative continues to put young people at the heart of everything, not just through presence, but through purpose. Each visit, each conversation, and each activity is shaped by the players themselves, their ideas, their experiences, and their desire to give back to their community.