Shocka's poem for Premier League Kicks

As we mark World Poetry Day, read Shocka's tribute to a programme that is celebrating its 20-year anniversary

This year the Premier League Kicks programme is marking 20 years of life-changing impact in communities across England and Wales.

To kick-off the celebrations, a Premier League Kicks showcase was held last week in Brentford which featured programme participants from five London clubs.

Joining special guests such as Premier League Hall of Fame inductee Ashley Cole and DJ, rapper, grime artist and celebrity chef Big Zuu at Gunnersbury Park was rapper and spoken word artist Shocka, who saw at first hand how Premier League Kicks engages and supports young people.

He met participants, coaches and stakeholders and was inspired to write a poem that he performed on the pitch at the end of the evening.

And with World Poetry Day taking place on Saturday, you can read Shocka's tribute to Premier League Kicks.

The Premier League’s Kicks programme is a whole different class

Because it's giving kids confidence, it's giving kids safety, it's giving kids opportunity and a beautiful head start

 And that head start allows them to focus

 I know they want to be the best players in the world but here's something that you might not notice

 The best players are not the best by themselves, they're the best because they've got incredible coaches

 And if you listen to what your coach has to say, if you really listen, they'll show you the right way to approach this

 And then you can play the game beautifully

 But this is more than a game

 This is a worldwide community with all different races, all different faces, all different ages

 We come together beautifully

 This programme has been going on for 20 long years, that's incredible, truthfully

 Because people say that they care, but do they actually, though? That's why I can't defend that, like Ashley Cole

 Because the claims that they're making is untrue, it's talk, it's a whole bunch of noise, it sounds like a really Big Zuu!

 But the Premier League, that don't apply to you

 Because over 600,000 people has benefited from their programme and watched their dreams come true

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