How Kickstarters Began -

While working as a Key Stage 1 teacher, I attended a training course with CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) that really highlighted the importance of reading. It opened my eyes to how stories can spark children's imagination and dramatically raise their academic achievement.

At the same time, I was coaching football to 3-4-year-olds, and I often found myself wondering about their engagement levels. That's when an idea began to form: What if I combined reading with football? Could stories bring even more meaning, structure, and excitement to children's physical development? The thought stuck with me. I spent the next year searching through hundreds of books and creating lesson plans that blended children's literature with football and multi-skill activities. By the end of that year, I had developed 16 story-based lesson plans designed to inspire children both on the page and on the pitch.

Using well-loved books like We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Lost and Found brought the sessions to life. I quickly saw how effective this approach was - especially for children who struggled to engage with reading. By connecting stories with movement, they began listening more deeply, discussing ideas, and making meaningful links between sport and literature.

The impact was phenomenal. I watched children develop a genuine love of reading while also improving their coordination, confidence, and football skills. Seeing their excitement grow confirmed that this approach had real value - and it inspired me to share it further and drive this new idea in educational settings.

Eight years later, Kickstarters has grown far beyond those first story-based sessions. Today, we have developed over 30 detailed lesson plans and now deliver our unique approach to nurseries and primary schools across Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

I'm also incredibly proud of how the Kickstarters brand has expanded. We now provide a full P.E. curriculum for primary-aged children, along with a wide range of high-quality football services such as 1-2-1 coaching, Player Development Programmes, HAF holiday camps, breakfast clubs, a Saturday Club and much more.

In 2025, we took another huge step forward by launching our own Junior Football Club section, with two Under-7 teams competing for the very first time.

I'm proud of everything Kickstarters has become - and I'm excited about what Kickstarters can grow into next.