In collaboration with the British Council, Premier League, Department of Basic Education, and MultiChoice (SuperSport Let’s Play), a five-day training programme was delivered at Leolo Technical Secondary School to 43 teachers from the Burgersfort area.

The course was led by Premier League Head Coach Graham Robinson, assisted by Premier Skills Coach Educator Nomonde Mahabane and Ryan Goodman from the Aston Villa Foundation.  

Ryan has over 14 years of coaching experience football, working with teachers, coaches and young people in the UK.  Ryan has delivered in many of Birmingham’s local schools and helped revamp many intervention and P.E based sessions.

This was Ryan’s first visit to South Africa, and he remarked:

“I am happy to have been invited by the Premier League and the British Council to share my skills and knowledge with the teachers. I also learned a lot from the teachers, the Premier League Head Coach, and the local PSCE.” 

Ross Alexander, Foundation Manager at the Aston Villa Foundation said: 
"We at the Aston Villa Foundation are proud for Ryan to be working alongside colleagues from the Premier League and British Council, continuing to impact the development and growth of communities on an international scale. Whilst sharing learnt knowledge and experience, we also aim to foster collaboration and cohesion with our colleagues, to align our mission statement of 'Working together to Enrich Lives.” 

The training included both theory and practical components. As with the recent North West course, teachers completed "teach-back" sessions as part of their final assessment, observed and supported by the Coach Educators. 

On the final day, the Premier Skills Educators planned and delivered a Premier Skills Physical Education Festival, which brought together 60 young learners for a day of fun, inclusive sport. The event showcased the newly acquired skills of the trained educators and celebrated their commitment to improving PE in schools. 

During the closing session, one of the teachers, Ms. Madulegile Mashaba, shared:

“Opportunities like this impactful programme rarely reach rural areas – we are so grateful to the British Council and Premier League for empowering us with the skills and knowledge to deliver Physical Education in our schools. I will definitely implement what I’ve learned back at my school.”