Why Kalvin Phillips is the best Leeds United player to be out and about with, plus the half-time routine when the team’s struggling were some of the gems Liam Cooper delivered this week.
In an example of what the morning routine should be at every Leeds school, Cooper found himself orchestrating assembly-size renditions of Marching on Together.
The United captain visited Hunslet Carr Primary School on February 3 as a part of his city-wide initiative with LC6 Football Academy.
In the hour he spent at the Woodhouse Hill Road school he found the schoolchildren had been brushing up on the Leeds anthem before belting it out at him in the school hall, not once, not twice, but three times across various age groups.
Cooper was grilled by the children too as Joanna Roberts, the school’s Year One, Two and Three assistant headteacher, explains.
“One of the questions was what he does at half-time when they’re having a tough game and how he picks the team back up,” she told LeedsLive.
“One he found quite difficult was asking about his frustration. He found that one a little bit tough.
“He said it’s very tough on the pitch to control your frustration, but he talked about going over to other players when they’re frustrated.”
And his answer on the half-time routine: “He said he does a lot of encouraging, putting his arm around them, picking them back up.”
The academy reached out to the school as a part of a wider move to get Cooper into more schools and offering free workshops to the pupils.
After weeks of planning at the school for their time with the skipper, there were some very excited kids when he eventually arrived.
“One girl was shaking, she was absolutely shaking,” said Joanna. “I’ve got pictures of the children and their faces are just mesmerised.”
While he’s a very well known face in the Leeds squad and one of the longest-serving, Cooper did admit to one of the young groups it’s Phillips he likes being out with most in public.
“He was amazing with the children,” said Joanna. “He asked the nursery children who their favourite player was and they said him.
“Then we went into reception and we had one child who said Phillips. He said he expects everyone to say Phillips.
“A girl asked him what it’s like walking around the public and he said he likes to walk around with Phillips because then nobody notices him.”
Cooper sent a few words to LeedsLive via his academy after the visit.
“I loved visiting the children and staff at Hunslet Carr, they made me feel so welcome, it was fantastic to sing Marching on Together with them all and to see their smiling faces,” he said.
“As a club, we know how lucky we are to have such an amazing city behind us.
“As part of LC6 Academy we are working with local schools and I'm always delighted to visit schools in our community.
“I was so impressed with the school's ethos, impossible is nothing, and hope we can continue to support the amazing work the school are doing in inspiring their pupils to reach for the stars and that anything is possible.
“I set up my academy to help children from all walks of life experience top quality coaching, make new friends and get active.
“I hope we can also inspire young people by creating opportunities that can fill them with confidence, provide positive role models and that we can also inspire them to achieve their dreams, whatever they may be.”
