Downing delivers tactics message
He may have been named as many people's man of the match in an international fixture for England recently, but Stewart Downing had no hesitation in joining in a tactics session with Liverpool FC's community team at a local primary school last week.
The Reds winger dropped by Barlows Lane school in Fazakerley to help deliver a lesson as part of the club's award-winning Tactics 4 Families programme, which uses the language and principals of football as a mechanism to highlight the importance of strong family bonds.
After three class-based lessons, Downing lent a hand in an active session in which the pupils took part in football-related exercises to help deliver seven key family life messages.
Afterwards, he told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It's been good. It's always nice to come to things like this and help put smiles on the kids' faces.
"We're always here to lend a hand and it's something I enjoy doing.
"When we were growing up, we all looked up to footballers and sportsmen, so it's good to come down and see the kids and they always appreciate it.
"It makes most of their days, so I'm happy to be here."
While Downing's appearance at the school lasted just over an hour, LFC Family Officer Mark Chester believes his presence will have helped ensure the messages delivered live long in the memories of the children.
"It was fantastic to see Stewart here today," he said. "It's always great to have the support of the players because the children know and recognise them. They are the children's heroes.
"If the players support what we do, it helps the message sink in a little deeper.
"Stewart was great. He got involved with the games, had fun and it was nice to see all the children smiling.
"It's important to have fun - I think children learn more when they do. It was our main aim today to make sure they had a lot of fun, and also to try and get some messages across."
The Tactics 4 Families programme has won plenty of plaudits and accolades since its launch - and Chester and co are currently waiting to discover whether the scheme can scoop the Sport Team of the Year award in the Beyond Sport awards.
Chester was recently invited to New York to deliver a presentation on the initiative alongside other shortlisted programmes from Manchester City, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Memphis Grizzlies.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony in South Africa next week.
"We were able to go over to New York and present the project at a one-day conference over there," said Chester. "We go to Cape Town next week for the final awards ceremony, so then we will find out whether we've won the award or not.
"Just to get shortlisted is an achievement and reflects well on the whole club and how great our community work is. It would be a great privilege if we win."
Here are some photos from the afternoon
