Luke Williams invites Swansea City Foundation participant Callum to his first ever match
Swansea City AFC Foundation participant Callum Roberts got his chance to experience his first professional football match when head coach Luke Williams invited him to watch the recent home game against Preston North End.
Callum, 13, came out of school in January of this year as he continued to struggle with his mental health following the move up to comprehensive school.
Along with his younger brother Brooklyn, Callum started attending the Foundation’s Elected Home Education programme, which focuses on health and wellbeing through classroom sessions and physical activity.
He had made significant progress and, as a result of the initiative, Callum now wants to work towards roles in sports coaching.
All of which meant, a week before the 2024-2025 Championship season began, Callum received a special letter from Swans boss Williams, who invited the family to the first home league game of the season against Preston North End.
Callum’s first experience at a football match could not have gone much better as the family met the Swansea City head coach ahead of kick off before cheering the team on to their 3-0 win.
“Just looking at their faces, this is going to be a day I will never forget and I know they will never ever forget. I can’t thank everyone enough for making this all possible,” said Jennine Thomas, Callum's mother.
Jennine has been delighted with the impact the Foundation’s programme has had on Callum, and believes it has offered something different to the other sessions the brothers are now involved in.
And she believes her son has started to come out of his shell once more, after the uncertainty that followed him being taken out of school.
“Callum was really struggling in school and feeling really low. But since home schooling him it’s felt like the best thing I’ve ever done, and one of the best programmes has been the one with the Swans Foundation, he absolutely loves it,” said Jennine.
“He’s smiling more, he’s got this little spark in his eyes.
"Unfortunately Callum was a bit of a clown of the class in school, doing all of his work and never behind but he was being put into isolation a lot which really affected his mental health.
"So to see all of that disappear, for him get his sense of humour back, he’s so much happier. Programmes like this one have really made a difference.
Beth Robinson, targeted interventions manager at Swansea City AFC Foundation, leads the Elected Home Education programme, and is proud of the difference she has seen in Callum since he walked through the door on for his first session.
“When we first met Callum at our home education sessions he was quite reserved, anxious to get involved, but the progress that he’s made has been amazing,” said Robinson.
“He’s developed into a team player, he’s more confident and very supportive and encouraging of others at the sessions, so it has been really beneficial for him.
“He wasn’t really involved in football before coming to these sessions but being involved in a programme with the Foundation has helped him develop a love for the game, and also the football club itself.”
That newfound love for football and Swansea City inspired Callum to do further health and wellbeing courses, helping him to decide that he would like to pursue a career in coaching and sport.
“I didn’t ever think about doing anything with the Swans or football, but since I’ve been home schooled I’ve just really enjoyed learning about football and all the healthy eating, fitness and mental health,” Callum explained.
Jennine added: “It’s also given him a view to the future where he would like to do health and fitness, and be involved in sport.
“For me, as a parent, when I first took him out of school I was thinking 'where do I go with this?'
"But now I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, I can see a future for him.”