Youth soccer program connects Beijing school students with EPL

Premier Skills - Jaguar Football Campus concludes with the champions and the runners-up coming together to celebrate an epic encounter. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This year's program was jointly organized JLR, British Council and the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation with a goal to benefit 8,000 children and youth in China within a year.

Through classroom tactical sessions and drills on the pitch, Hughes showed how leading-edge training methods can help children improve their soccer skills. He also spoke to children at the event, passing on valuable advice about how to warm up and stretch properly in order to avoid injuries.

"It's really exciting to be here in Beijing and part of the Jaguar Football Campus, which is extending the Premier Skills program and its unique football playing, coaching and referee training to thousands of youngsters across China," said Hughes.

This year's initiative also includes a youth referee training program held in August in Shanghai, which will involve more than 500 students from primary schools to colleges.

"Today we will witness what the young people have learnt: the importance of training well, working as a team, communication and of course accuracy," said Richard Shore, acting regional president of Jaguar Land Rover Greater China on Wednesday.

"Yet of even greater value are the cognitive skills that these young people will have gleaned from sport. The merits of working as a team, remaining calm under pressure and showing determination to overcome obstacles will serve them well in life," said Shore.