Club place football on the curriculum for local pupils

The Killie Community has been praised for growing football participation across the local area, following successful delivery of a new initiative developed to increase accessibility of the sport.

Building on successful Easter camps at Rugby Park during the school holidays, the Killie Community team has continued to engage local school children through a 6-week ‘Football for All’ programme that has placed football back on the curriculum for youngsters.

Football for All is a programme designed to remove the barriers between participation in the sport, enabling access to football at all levels, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. In partnership with Active Schools co-ordinators, the club’s community team is delivering sessions across 55 Ayrshire schools, including visiting every primary in the East Ayrshire Council region by the end of term.

Throughout the academic year, more than 7,000 youngsters have now taken part in free Killie Community organised football sessions at their school, thanks to a community team which has been bolstered by new coach Emmanuel Ayobami.

Born in Nigeria, Emmanuel joined the community team in March following a period of time in Ukraine where he played and coached professionally. Through the Football for All programme, he has become a big hit with pupils across the region, particularly fellow Ukrainian refugee, Artem, who has thrived in sessions since the pair first met at the start of a six-week block at Kilmaurs Primary.

As part of the Football for All initiative, the Killie Community team has also invited 565 youngsters and their families along to Rugby Park to watch their first ever football match this season.

You can discover more about Kilmarnock Football Club’s community projects – HERE.