Arsenal and Cover-More insurance run Skills School for kids
Cover-More, Arsenal’s official travel insurance partner, host Arsenal skill schools sessions during the summer. The sessions are for kids aged 7 to 12 and are led by Arsenal coaches who also assist coaches from the Foxes academy football team.
The day starts with a healthy breakfast for kids with fruits, granola and juices and pastries and caffeine for the not so healthy grown ups. I brought my two nephews along with one coming fully decked in a Barcelona kit and the other initially refusing to wear the kits provided with the Arsenal badge because he is a West Ham fan, honestly kids these days!
JJ with his two nephews
I truly felt my age when they both had no idea who Reyes was who’s name I had on the back of my Arsenal shirt.
With cameras around and all the kids in the smart kits this did have the feel of a proper open training session, but for obviously much smaller footballers. The session kicks off with the kids divided into three groups based on their age with each group running a tailored coaching session.
The drills range from passing the ball round, throwing it, shooting drills and possession exercises. During one of the mini-games one team burst into a song declaring their love of French baguettes, which while they have their merits I didn’t realise 9 year olds loved them enough to celebrate each goal singing about them, but what do I know?
Sadly there were no French baguettes for lunch but the kids were happy enough with the spread and had been suitably worked, I have never seen such a large group of kids eat so contentedly.
The day ended with a mini-world cup, highlights from which included a lot of dancing, a kid tackling a coach and shouting ‘you got tackled by a six year old’ and most impressively a lot of exceptional skills and goals from kids so young.
The kids’ received a certificate and an Arsenal medal, but more importantly, a great day out playing with other kids getting lots of exercise.
Young football fans pictured with Arsenal Coaches at the Cover-More Skills School held in West London on August 2nd and 3rd.
So a big well done and thank you to Cover-More and Arsenal for putting this day together and I look forward to the next one, maybe I can convince them to let me join in next time!
If you think you’d like to take your kid along to a future Skills School, join the mailing list here to hear about future dates and events: https://www.covermore.co.
Written by JJ Jabbal