Shrewsbury Town in the Community's 'Player Takeover Week' a success
The end of November saw Shrewsbury Town in The Community’s ‘Player Takeover Week’, with defender Dom Smith and goalkeeper Callum Burton going into schools around Shrewsbury to take part in the pupil’s P.E lessons.It came as part of the PL Primary Stars scheme, which sees the Shrewsbury Town in The Community team attend schools to oversee lessons given by teachers and help improve the delivery of sessions given to the children.
Dom went along to Mereside Primary School, where he answered questions on healthy eating and all things football before heading out with Community Sports Development Manager Tom Peevor for the rather cold November lessons!
Tom and Dom went through several throwing and catching drills, and the chilly weather didn’t stop everyone from enjoying their time with the Community.
Dom was thrilled to be able to come along on the visit and meet the pupils, something he said he didn’t get to experience when he was in school.
“Doing stuff like this with the Community sets an example for us professionals,” he said.
“Having such a tight community is massive for the supporters and for the people around us. We can be role models for these kids here, and also good Samaritans shall I say! So I think its brilliant.
“When I was growing up we never used to have players coming to the schools as we do, and I think having a bit of a role model as a young person can massively boost your confidence of who you want to become when you’re older.
“Positivity is the key now for the young generation coming up, so I think its the perfect example for us to be doing this (coming into schools).
“I grew up around Shrewsbury, its basically my home town, so getting to meet people that I was once with – teachers, classmates, its a positive for me.
“Being able to give back to the community after what they gave me, it’s perfect.”
Meanwhile, Shrewsbury Cathedral Catholic Primary School welcomed Callum and Community Sports Officer Alex Jones, in slightly warmer conditions!
Callum put his goalkeeping skills into practice, as Alex put some fun throwing and catching drills together, as well as some movement drills to warm everyone up!
He too thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon visit, and believes it is clear to see the positive impact that the Community is having on schools.
“It’s good to come and see what the funding is doing in schools,” he said. “Obviously its been a long time since I was in this sort of environment as a kid, but coming back and seeing how much fun they have, its good to see.
“Its always good to throw yourself into it, do what they’re doing and have fun. I enjoyed it, it takes you back, doesn’t it?
“When you were young, and didn’t have to think about anything and you can just enjoy yourself. It was fun, it looked like they were having fun which is the best thing when you’re at school. That’s what you want P.E to be about, really.”
Like Dom, Callum would have loved to experienced player visits when he was in school, and thinks it can only have a positive impact on the visits.
“I think it’s a nice little boost, if I was at school and there was a player coming down it would make me want to do P.E more, make me interact more and do more in the lesson because you’re seeing someone you sort of look up to.
“The one thing I wanted to be when I was younger was a professional footballer, so if you’ve got one in and helping out with a P.E lesson its only going to benefit you and make you strive to be better at sport.”
When asked if he’ll get to make another visit soon, he said: “I hope so. It’s always good to get out and see what the club, the organisation that you’re working for is doing to help the community.
“I think it inspires the lads and the girls that are doing the lessons, and if it makes them a Shrewsbury fan too then its only going to benefit the club even more as well.”