Academy youngsters enjoy cadet training with the RAF
Liverpool U18s changed up their training routine this week, trading their football kit for military fatigues to experience life as servicemen as part of an initiative to develop their team skills and mindset.
Neil Critchley's squad were given a glimpse into the life of an RAF recruit, spending 24 hours at the home of the Defence School of Engineering at RAF Cosford, where they tried their hands at an array of activities and were treated like Phase 2 trade trainees.
The trip to RAF Cosford followed the U23s RAF Men's Development Squad's (MDS) successful visit to the LFC Academy in Kirkby last month.
Critchley led the RAF squad in a training session ahead of their competitive Inter Service fixture against the Royal Navy that they went on to win 4-0.
Visits of this nature ensure LFC Academy players understand and respect the work of different individuals within the community and also give them tangible, real-world experience outside of football.
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Academy director Alex Inglethorpe said: "At the Liverpool FC Academy we strive to give our players real-world experience as well as on-the-pitch experience, that's what these visits are all about. Today's visit let the lads experience something new and has undoubtedly opened their eyes to the hard work and dedication of the RAF."
Sergeant Paddy O'Brien, avionics training flight instructor at RAF Cosford, said: "We wanted to demonstrate to the Academy players the skill link between RAF football and the jobs we carry out on a daily basis.
"Sport plays a huge part in service life and we wanted to show how skills learnt within the game are fully transferable to the workplace environment.
"Being part of a team whilst retaining the ability of how to operate autonomously are key on both the football pitch and as a service person within the Royal Air Force."
As well as being a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, Liverpool FC works to support the Armed Forces community through the Liverpool FC Foundation's successful Military Veterans Programme, which helps to re-engage ex-military service men and women with physical activity and recapture the spirit of service and comradeship.
To find out more about the LFC Foundation Military Veterans Programme, click here.
To find out more about the RAF, click here.