- Karen Ray visited Egypt as part of Premier League and British Council Premier Skills programme
- Ray is West Ham United Foundation’s Women & Girls Development Manager and Ladies first-team coach
- Trip saw her spend a week working with coaches and children from poor backgrounds in Cairo
Ladies coach Karen Ray spread the West Ham Way to 60 Egyptian coaches during a week-long Premier Skills programme visit to Cairo.
Ray was one of three coaches to visit the North African country as part of the joint Premier League and British Council initiative, which uses the global popularity and power of football to support community development across the world.
The former West Ham United Ladies midfielder said the main aim of the trip was to provide the Egyptian coaches – 30 male and 30 female – with the tools to go back to their communities to break down barriers through football.
This was done through a six-day workshop on introducing the coaches to the role of Community Coach Educator, followed by a seventh practical day where they had the opportunity to demonstrate the skills that they had learnt by hosting a festival for 200 children.
Ray, who is also West Ham United Foundation’s Women & Girls Development Manager, also spoke to the coaches on the theme of empowering females and ending violence against women.
“For me, this week was the most humbling and inspirational of my career,” she told whufc.com. “I feel proud and honoured that I had the opportunity to turn my passion into a purpose.
“Watching coaches grow over seven days from shy, apprehensive and guarded to proud, energetic and empowered left me feeling overwhelmed with pride when we saw them interact with 200 children from poor backgrounds.
“These slum kids had no shoes, barely any clothing and a smile was certainly not part of their outfit. However, as soon as they received their Premier Skills kit and a football the happiness they immediately felt was staggering.
“At the end of our visit, all the coaches made a pledge to end violence by putting their handprint in paint on a canvas titled ‘Your hands are not for hurting’. The magnitude of this affirmation was emotional.”
For me, this week was the most humbling and inspirational of my career
Karen Ray
Premier Skills is a three-phase programme operating in more than 20 countries across the world, from Afghanistan to Zambia, during which coaches and referees receive bespoke training to improve their skills in delivering engaging, inclusive training to benefit their local communities.
Ray explained how the positive impact made by the scheme was evident as the week went on, with coaches from different backgrounds interacting and working together to improve their skills.
“It was evident that Egypt have come on leaps and bounds in regards to their cultural changes,” said Ray, who also welcomed British Ambassador John Casson to watch the programme in action. “We saw males and females working together to learn and develop. The barriers were broken and it was momentous to watch it happen throughout the week.
“Personally, I believe anyone, given the chance, should experience Premier Skills and I hope to be involved again. Premier Skills has a profoundly immeasurable impact on anyone involved and I feel honoured to have worked alongside my fellow coaches Paul Hughes and Corinne Mitchell.
“The programme really epitomises the power of football on a global scale and allows us to educate coaches to grow their community outreach which can only serve to benefit children throughout the world.”
For more information about Premier Skills, click here.