Leeds United Under-18s recently swapped the football pitches for the kitchen, as they took part in a nutrition class to continue their development off the field.

Held at Leeds Beckett University, the squad joined the academy’s Performance Nutrition Lead Dan Richardson, and were tasked with making a simple yet tasty chicken stir-fry.

Given the ingredients and with a recipe to follow, the players paired up and got underway, with it being the first time many of them had ever tried their hand in the kitchen.

“Cooking is a really important thing to learn,” Richardson explained. “We do lots of theoretical learning at Thorp Arch, but actually getting them in the kitchen and putting their knowledge to the test is really important."

“Most people see the football at the front and centre, but a lot goes on behind the scenes, particularly their performance education needs. Nutrition plays a big part in that. We are teaching them all the fundamental elements of nutrition and trying to give them the tools that they can use in their day-to-day lives, as they continue in football or go down different paths.”

On the day, players learned about the importance of food preparation and the nutritional benefits of certain recipes, all in an enjoyable setting where previous experience, or lack of, wasn’t a barrier.

“This is my first time I have never cooked, apart from in high school,” said midfielder Oliver Pickles. “It has been fun and I will definitely try it at home. It looks quite nice so far what myself and Devon [Brockie] have been making.

“It is very important because we are never guaranteed a career in football, so we have to make sure that our education is all done. You never know what is going to happen, so you need to be ready with these skills.”

As part of their two-year scholarships, the players study for a BTEC in Sport, as well as a Sporting Excellence Professional qualification (SEP), with additional topics like the cooking session aiding their holistic development, according to Education Officer Jack Bellamy.

“There are a variety of different topics they will cover throughout the season. Other themes they will explore include psychology, physical performance, careers and self-development. These topics are key to improving their development.

“There is a lot that goes into that. They will have training and their games, but they also have an education programme to follow regardless of where they are in their journey. Some might play up with the Under-21s, but they still have education to complete, and this is one of the most important parts of their development.”