If there’s one person at Derby County Community Trust who is fully behind PL Kicks, it’s Louis Harris. From being a quiet and shy participant, to being a fully confident and enthusiastically PL Kicks coach, he has certainly been moulded by the opportunities provided. 

Louis started with us in 2018 and first heard about the programme on social media before going down to one session with his friends. From there, he always knew he wanted to be involved in football. When Louis finished school, he found out about the post-16 opportunities and signed up for Football and Education, before looking at DCCT’s degree programme.  Since then, he’s took up a causal coaching role here within the FTP and ETC. Now, Louis is a member of staff for the PL Kicks programme, something he always wanted to achieve.

‘’When I was in school, I was shy and closed off. But with PL Kicks, I was able to become more open and motivated within myself. I developed this confidence through the programme, and I noticed a difference in myself physically and mentally.’’

One of Louis’ most memorable moments with PL Kicks comes from when he was still a participant; ‘’When participating in the PL kicks tournaments, the best memory for me was playing at the Stoke City ground in a world-cup style competition. Now I look at participants today and have flashback to when I was on the programme myself. I have been there and done it, now this is my chance to pass on my knowledge. If I can share my pathway with others, it might inspire them to go a similar way… they will go on the F&E programme and see me as a role model’’.

But it was the staff working on PL Kicks that motivated Louis and gave him the determination to be involved in the programme long after his playing days. Louis said ‘’The way the staff handled themselves when I was a participant was brilliant and they became my role models. Tom and Gav gave me options and are key where I am today. They taught me to be confident coach and treat participants as real people.  Now my coaches are colleagues, I feel I can lean on them more. I already know a lot of the staff here, so I just fit right in. I wasn’t nervous when I joined as a staff member… I knew my surrounding and people.’’

He went on to say ‘’I think it’s just good to have those pre-built relationships and felt natural to keep taking those next steps. If I ever went elsewhere, I feel I would be more closed off.’’

Jacob Straw, DCCT’s PL Kicks Co-ordinator has known Louis since he was 16-year-old and has been impressed with the journey that unfolded. Jacob said, ‘’When Louis first joined, he wasn’t very academic. He started on Level 2 with us with two GCSEs to his name. Since then, he did the Level 2, went on to the degree programme and pushing well above 60%. That shows educationally, how massively he has improved. From 2 GCSEs to a BSC degree, he deserves a lot of credit because not many people would be able to turn things round like that from 16 and may have given up. Everything he does, he gives it everything he’s got, and the proof is in the pudding… his hard work has paid off.’’

Louis intends to stay the PL Kicks team for as long as possible, with aspirations to build his skills as a fully qualified coach. ‘’For me now, it’s just building on my knowledge as a coach. I want to be involved in the Trust as a PL Kicks co-ordinator or a coach for the F&E team. Everyone is amazing and have good connections. Maybe I can work towards my UEFA B licence, but as long as I’m in football, I’ll be happy.''

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