Palace defender Nathan Ferguson and club Doctor Dr Zaf met children at a Palace for Life Foundation Get Involved session at the new Academy after training, to find out more about the new programme.
Ferguson and Dr Zaf were greeted by the excited youngsters, aged six to 12, who had prepared questions for the pair about what it’s like being a professional footballer, how to stay motivated during hard times, and how to get into the world of football.
You can see the session in full on BBC Match of The Day on Sunday 27 February from 7:35am on BBC One.
The Get Involved programme runs to increase physical activity specifically in those from Asian backgrounds, by removing barriers these individuals may have previously had had to sport.
Palace for Life maintain dialogue with the local community to ensure spaces are truly inclusive through means such as female only sessions, incorporating prayer time into sessions, moving sessions around the breaking of fast during Ramadan, and sessions for different ages and abilities.
The Foundation seeks to showcase positive role models, such as Doctor Zaf, to show that there is a place in football and sport for them. Whilst encouraging social integration by linking with other Palace for Life programmes.
