Norwich City defender Christoph Zimmermann praised the Community Sports Foundation’s Realising Potential programme on a visit to The Nest this week.
The 29-year-old centre-back, along with academy graduate Tony Springett, visited the Community Sports Foundation’s hub, located in Horsford, to learn about the programmes that the Foundationput on for the community.
The Realising Potential programme is aimed at children and adults, with either physical or learning disabilities, and offers them multi-sport, dance and other active sessions as well as educational and career advice, and one-to-one support to help them formulate their aims and reach their goals in life.
Speaking about the project, Christoph said: “It is a 10-week course, not just for children and teenagers, but also for some younger adults and it was a pleasure to talk to them and join in with some games here and learn a little bit about the programme.
“I feel so often that people don’t quite know what to do with their lives and what their strengths are and, to be fair, I think many people will experience that sometimes when they get towards the end of school.
“I think it is good to just see what you want to do and see what your potential is. That is what this programme is trying to do. It is trying to give you experiences in different areas and the children and young adults learn a little bit about themselves and that will hopefully help them in the future.”
Christoph, who has been at Norwich City since 2017, was also impressed with the facilities at The Nest. He saw the plans when the project to build a community hub was just on paper and he thought it was ambitious then and he is now pleased to see those objectives realised.
“I have been lucky enough to see The Nest grow over the last three years,” he said. “They were kind enough to show me some plans before the facilities were built. I am just impressed with what it looks like now, because I remember three years ago thinking this looks good on paper, so I’ll be curious what it looks like when it is finished. This facility looks better than most of the training grounds that we have been to so it is a privilege to have it in Norfolk and I think CSF, and all the sponsors, have done really well to get it done.”
Tony Springett also touched on the work that the Foundation does saying that it is important sport and football uses the power it has to spread positivity.
“It is just spreading positivity around the whole place and that is the main thing really. It is for those people who lack that bit of hope and giving them that hope and showing them that we still care for them and that we are looking out for them. That is the main message.
“I think it football incredibly powerful. Just by getting on a pitch and kicking a ball you are bringing yourself together with other people. I feel like just keeping everyone included and everyone together is the main thing.”
The Realising Potential programme is free to participants thanks to support from Norfolk Hire, The PFA, and the Foundation’s monthly donation programme City Giving.
To find out more visit the Foundation’s website.
