Foundation of Light's Katie Gibson reflects on representing Sunderland in China as part of Premier League programme

Foundation of Light Sports Development Officer Katie Gibson recently headed to the Shandong Province of China as part of the Premier League Community Coach Development Programme.

Representing Sunderland, the Foundation of Light, and the Premier League, Katie helped lead the four-day programme which brought together 40 grassroots coaches from across China.

The coaches were introduced to a variety of methods to deliver safe, inclusive and fun football sessions that support a young person’s development.

On the experience of helping to deliver the programme, Katie said: “we were showing the coaches how we deliver in our community, giving them some ideas that they could take back into their communities.

“I hadn’t done much before in terms of helping develop other coaches. I think it took me a while to grow into it at first, but once I became more confident and got to know the people on the course, it made it a lot easier.

“It was an amazing experience, I was so lucky and I think experiences like this will help me in my work at the Foundation as well.”

A proud Sunderland AFC supporter, Katie took pride in representing the club overseas. On the impact of the badge, Katie added: “It was more recognised than I thought.

“I’m a big Sunderland fan, so I made sure everyone knew what we are about. There were times when we split them into teams, and I always made sure one of the teams was called Sunderland. Everyone was loving that as well.”

To hear the full lowdown on Katie’s time in China, listen to her full interview:

Since 2009, the Premier League and the British Council have partnered to support more than 6,500 coaches and referees across 29 cities in China, enabling more than 1.3 million young people to benefit from coaching that is safe, inclusive and fun.

The partnership between the Premier League and the British Council is founded on the belief that sport has the power to inspire and educate. Through its work across China, the partnership has demonstrated meaningful social impact, creating lasting benefits for local communities.