[Community] Birmingham schools host Brazilian Soccer Skills
Tuesday 8 Apr 2008
In anticipation of this year's Brazilian Soccer Skills for Schools event in Birmingham this June, we get the lowdown on the team behind the initiative.
Mike Clarke, Doug Morgan and Nadine Gater, otherwise known as Birmingham Schools Kick Racism Out of Football (BSKROOF), are the team behind the event.
The event was conceived in 2003 and has been supported, at one stage of other, by all Premiership clubs, local press and media, teachers unions, the University of Central England (now BCU) and Kick It Out, not to mention continental backing from Real Madrid, Barcelona and from Italian giants Juventus. Each year, more and more participants get involved, attracting 200 children and parents and over 30 schools.
Mike Clarke
Married with two girls, 30-year-old Mike is a football coach and parent governor. Past work has included fundraising work for the Beslan tragedy and the Tsunami in 2005. "My motto is we all live in one world so why can't we leave peacefully together?"
Doug Morgan
30 year old teacher Doug has been active against racism for over a decade now, first with the Anti-Nazi League and then recently through the new organisation UNITE Against Fascism (www.uaf.org.uk). "I find it incredible that people are picked on, bullied, or worse just because they happen to have a different skin colour."
Nadine Gater
25 year old former teaching assistant and full time mother, Nadine joined the organisation to help run the football team. "It's a really important cause to me as I have had personal experience of racial bullying when at school. Getting involved in BSKROOF was a great opportunity to get the cause recognised and do my bit to try and stop others being treated inappropriately."
The team is currently pulling together this year's event, due to take place at Birmingham City University's Moor Lane sports ground, known locally as The Pavilions. For more information, please contact Doug on 07886 608 405 or visit http://www.freewebs.com/birmingham-schools-kick-racism-out.
Greater London Women's Football Conference
Millwall Football Club will play host to the Greater London Women's Football Conference next week.
Events
Dean Ashton
"It's important to support the Kick It Out campaign because nobody in the game wants to experience racism, on or off the pitch."
Dean Ashton, West Ham and England