JASON ROBERTS FOUNDATION - Giving back to the Community
Spring 2022
Having launched Encore Football in January 2022, we were delighted to be introduced to Otis Roberts, co-founder of the Jason Roberts Foundation back in March 2022. Jason Roberts, a former Premier League player with Blackburn & West Bromwich Albion and ex Grenada international, has set up the Foundation to support communities in the UK and Grenada.
At Encore Football, our mission includes bringing football tech to the masses and providing opportunities to those less privileged, so we were excited to be able to contribute to this amazing initiative.
Roberts has set up an impressive hub known as the Bridgestone Arena to give back to the community. This space provides local kids with a safe environment to play and learn, hosting sessions that provide a good grounding and provide an insight of life growing up in a number of diverse backgrounds & cultures.
Our first session here, on a sunny March evening was a roaring success, with kids aged between 5 and 15 enjoying our Fast Feet ICON – the kids were very excited to show off their skills and try to post their highest score. We staffed the tech for these sessions, recording the scores so we could compare them with our leaderboard of highest scores from Pro Players (Ronaldo topping the charts with an impressive 210!). We loved seeing how enthusiastic the kids were to use it - ‘I’m getting one of these!’ claimed one of the younger kids. ‘I’m gonna save all my money to get one!’
YouTube sensation Chunkz getting in some Fast Feet practice ahead of this year’s Soccer Aid
After the success of this initial event, we were delighted to be approached again by Otis (a former Grenada International himself) to attend their Heritage Day in May. This was an opportunity for the kids to hear about the stories of the Stein Brothers, Edwin, Brian & Mark, who were all top players in the 80’s having moved to the UK from South Africa in the late 60’s.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting them and loved the fact they still had the same passion for the game as they expressed all those years ago. Brian stepped into the ICON and showed he still had great touch and vision, whilst he then ran the rule over one of the young lads, Adrian, who had been hooked on the ICON for the whole event.
I felt I should highlight to Adrian that he’d just had some pearls of wisdom from an ex-England International who had scored goals in a Cup Final at Wembley & I told him to tell his Mum when he got home!
Later in the evening, we were joined by YouTube sensation Chunkz, after having a kickaround with friends (no doubt getting in practice ahead of the upcoming Soccer Aid match he’s due to appear in). A top guy, even recording a quick hello video for my son - accumulating some serious Dad points! Chunkz seemed to enjoy the ICON with a decent first score of 98 – not quite at Ronaldo’s level just yet, but decent nonetheless!
It was also great to see such diverse groups enjoying the beautiful game, including an excellent Women’s Muslim team who also had great fun testing themselves on the ICON.
Action from JRF’s Heritage event with a Muslim Women’s team tackling Fast Feet ICON
JRF are doing great things for inclusion & diversity in the local community and here at Encore Football we hope we can be a part of their journey going forwards - they are a shining light for other communities.
Want to try the ICON yourself & see how you stack up against the pros? Why not book us for your next social event, football tournament or even Birthday party? Give us a call on 07577 365083, or use the contact form to discuss your requirements and see how we can help!
Until next time!
Mark, Encore Football
