Leeds United’s official kit partner adidas recently launched an initiative that would see 150,000 free football kits gifted to grassroots and amateur football teams across Europe.
As part of the exciting initiative adidas teamed up with the Leeds United Foundation to identify a number of local grassroots clubs that would truly benefit from receiving kits during what is an incredibly difficult time for a lot of football clubs that rely on external support and funding to continue running.
This project recognises the challenges that teams at the lower levels of football are currently facing, with traditional revenue streams being severely affected. To help alleviate the concern of having to purchase kits, adidas created the adidas Football Collective: For the Game initiative to ensure that local clubs did not have to worry about the costs involved and could focus on the football and creating opportunities for adult, women and youth teams.
Ahead of distributing the kits, first-team star Jamie Shackleton was on hand at Elland Road to help organise the bundles for each chosen team. As the midfielder was unable to take part in delivering the items himself due to COVID-19, he wanted to ensure he was still able to play his part as he recognises the importance of supporting the grassroots teams just like those that he was once a part of.
The Leeds United Academy graduate said: “The teams receiving these kits I know will massively appreciate them, especially through these difficult times. I’m sure so many of them will have been hit financially like most others, so this will really help them out.
“Everything revolves around the local football clubs in our community. I think I played in three age groups before I got picked up by Leeds United and everyone has got to start somewhere. For me that is grassroots, you build from there, that’s exactly what I did - because not many players can go straight into an Academy.
“To know that I’ve helped in a way, just to sort them out and make sure they’ve each got the right kits so they can go out and play and just enjoy their football, has been great.”
All of the adidas kit bundles have now been distributed by coaches from the club’s official charity, including deliveries to local teams such as Beeston Juniors, Sporting Leeds, Danby Rovers, Chapeltown and Hyde Park. The teams receiving the kits range from junior and youth teams, adult teams, female teams in the BAME community and pan-disability teams.
Julia Hogan, Senior Participation Officer at the Leeds United Foundation, said: “ We wanted to make sure we chose a diverse group of teams that would really benefit from this free kit initiative, those that have been working closely with the Foundation over the last season. We have youth and adult teams, female teams from BAME communities and clubs that are socially and economically challenged.
“Grassroots teams are not just about playing football, it’s about bringing a community together, creating a family and looking after each other’s mental health and wellbeing. We’re so grateful to be involved in the adidas Football Collective: For the Game initiative and to be able to help support some of our local teams that really need it.”
One of the coaches from Sporting Leeds, a club based in Harehills, spoke to LUTV during one of the drop-offs and he said: “ Coming from a deprived area it’s sometimes difficult to get the mechanisms in place and the funds for kits to provide the services and opportunities for these girls to play football. They face a lot of barriers in sport, coming from a BAME background, and to have this help available from adidas is immensely appreciated.”
A young female participant from the team also added: “It feels like an honour to represent adidas within Leeds United and across this football team. Playing football gives us a sense of empowerment because it gives young kids like us an opportunity early on in life.”
There are still plenty of kits available to win as part of this initiative, in a range of colourways and sizes, with teams or individuals able to sign up for the chance at adidas.com or on the adidas app. The opportunity will close on November 9th at which point adidas will draw winners at random, the winners will then receive their kits latest mid-December.
Simply visit http://www.adidas.com/footballcollective, go through the adidas app or connect with participating local teamwear retailers.
To take a look at some of the moments when the Leeds United Foundation coaches handed over the new adidas kits, please click here.
