Recently, Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix paid a special visit to a girls’ Premier League Kicks session at MerkyHQ, just minutes from Selhurst Park.
The centre-back surprised young players during our weekly late-afternoon session, taking time to meet participants, tour the brand-new facilities, and watch the football up close before joining in with the session himself, with Marc Guéhi also in attendance.
After getting a feel for the setup, Lacroix got fully involved on the pitch, taking part in a range of training drills and small-sided games alongside the participants.
The visit came just days before Palace’s UEFA Conference League match against Finnish champions KuPS Kuopio, and to round off the afternoon, Lacroix helped to reward two standout participants from the session, Nikelino and Soliana with tickets to the game later that week.
Lacroix said: “I’m really happy to be here to see the girls play football. I think they had a dream, we had the same [dream]. We’re really happy to be here.
"The most important thing is the behaviour – they want to train, they want to play, they want to play together, so this is top.”
This session is one of many Premier League Kicks sessions Palace for Life Foundation deliver across South London each week, running from Monday through to Saturday for young people aged 8–18.
The Premier League Kicks programme uses the power of football and other sports to create safer, healthier and more respectful communities by developing young people’s potential.
Through the programme, Palace for Life aim to engage young people between the ages of 8-18 in a range of constructive activities, to divert them away from crime and anti-social behaviour. Premier League Kicks projects work closely with the local authority which includes the Metropolitan Police and Youth Justice Service. Additionally, local community organisations help establish safe, supportive and educational activities.
All sessions are entirely free thanks to funding from the Premier League, and open to all within the specified age groups, irrespective of ability. No need to pre-book, simply come along.
For more information about Premier League Kicks, head here.
To see what sessions Palace for Life have on, head here.