The West Ham United Foundation’s Goals Beyond Goals project, supported by the Premier League, brought football and community together at The Foundry as three first-team and two Academy players joined participants for an afternoon of conversation, inspiration and personal journeys.
The initiative, which is designed to tackle inequalities and improve health and wellbeing, gave young people the chance to sit down with the players and discuss the issues that matter most to them, from personal challenges to ambitions for the future.
Players spoke openly about the obstacles they had faced in their careers, with defender Maximilian Kilman reflecting on the difficulties of early setbacks. He said: “Getting released from a club at a young age, there are lots of setbacks and injuries which I think all of us have been through, but it’s all about finding a way to get back on top.”
Midfielder Freddie Potts added that being overlooked can also be a hurdle. He said: “Whether it’s the Premier League or Sunday league, if the manager isn’t picking you, or other players are being picked ahead of you, then you’ve got to try and overcome those challenges and show them what you can do.”
Potts’ fellow Academy graduate Ollie Scarles described his own challenges with honesty, saying: “I was released from Chelsea when I was young, and I had six months out last season with a back injury which was tough.”
As the conversation turned to advice for young people, Kilman encouraged participants to focus on both effort and enjoyment. He said: “Put in the hard work, but make sure you enjoy it as well. You’ve got to love what you do and stick to the mentality of working hard.”
Scarles agreed, adding: “Do everything you can to achieve your dreams, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but at least you’ve given your all.”
With many aspiring footballers present in the room, participants were keen to learn more from the players about their journeys into football and what it takes to play at the highest level.
Kilman spoke about his unconventional route to the Premier League, having worked his way up from non-league football while playing Futsal for England. He said: “When I was in non-league I never expected to get to the Premier League. So, it’s about setting manageable goals, because when I was playing for Maidenhead, I just wanted to get to the next level.
“Even now that I’m in the Premier League, there’s always room for improvement and you can always get better, so never stop working your hardest.”
For the participants, the experience was about much more than meeting their footballing heroes. One young person who took part in the session explained: “It was amazing to hear the players talk about times when things didn’t go their way.
“Sometimes you think footballers have it easy, but hearing about injuries or not getting picked made me realise that everyone struggles and it inspires me to keep going.”
The session also highlighted the role of The Foundry as a community hub, with the purpose-built facility set to deliver more than 35 programmes across education, employment, health, youth, inclusion, football development and enterprise, supporting over 50,000 people each year. In its first five years, The Foundry is projected to generate £75 million in social value, dramatically expanding the scale and reach of the Foundation’s work.
Reflecting on the day, Kilman praised both the facility and the young people he met. He said: “It was great to come and see this fantastic new facility and have the chance to speak to the group about their goals and what they think they need in order to succeed, not just in football but as people as well.
“There’s nothing better for a young person than to hear first-hand from a Premier League footballer about what it took them to get to where they are. I think the whole set-up here is unbelievable, and it’s great for children that don’t always get the best opportunities to have a facility here that can help them improve their schoolwork, sport and social skills, while meeting new people in a good environment and getting the support they need.”
The event reflected the essence of the Goals Beyond Goals programme, harnessing the power of football and the influence of West Ham United to inspire, connect and create opportunities for people and communities to thrive.
