Kiko Casilla was on hand to visit youngsters attending a Premier League Kicks session being delivered by the Leeds United Foundation at Allerton Grange recently.

The Leeds United goalkeeper took the time to meet with the young kids, aged from 8 to 19, that live in the area and are part of the free-to-attend football sessions that are organised once a week by the Leeds City Council Youth Service with the support of the club's official charity.

The programme is funded by the Premier League with experienced and empathetic coaches provided to deliver the sessions. The values of each organisation involved in the project mirror one another, with the aim of increasing self-confidence and motivation in young people by using positive activities as a deterrent from negative influences.

The Leeds United Foundation has been supporting this youth provision for four years, ensuring that the group have a consistent and strong relationship with the charitable arm of the football club. The session delivery involves rapport-building and informal football activities that provide a stimulus for discussion that responds to the needs of each individual. 

Tom White, who is a Premier League Kicks coach at Leeds United Foundation, said: "We have a great group of young people who regularly come down to this weekly session and they were absolutely over the moon to meet Kiko Casilla. 

“We have a couple of goalkeepers that are part of the sessions, so to have such an inspirational presence come and speak to them goes a long way to raising their ambitions."

Joe Scargill, Project Officer for Premier League Kicks at the Foundation, added: “The multi-agency approach we adopt through the Kicks initiative ensures that we are able to give the best sporting offer possible to some of the young people living in this area.

“Leeds City Council Youth Service is a highly valued partner of ours who share our vision in doing their utmost to make sure young people are listened to in Leeds and that their potential is realised." 

For more information on the Premier League Kicks programme delivered by the Leeds United Foundation, please contact Joe.Scargill@leedsunited.com.