Blackpool FC Community Trust were crowned Regional Play-Off winners after Baines School, who represented the Trust, presented their business ideas in front of a panel of judges in the Premier League Enterprise Challenge at Huddersfield Town’s John Smith Stadium.
The Premier League Enterprise Challenge, run in partnership with Sport Relief, and now in its tenth year, uses business models of professional football clubs to engage young people in educational activity and develop life skills for the future. The Enterprise Challenge is the national competition element of this secondary school delivery that takes place annually.
Year 8, 9 and 10 pupils from participating schools answered a real life business challenge that is faced by football club’s marketing teams that was set by the Premier League.
The team were selected to represent the Trust and the town, after competing against ten other school teams, in the Club Heat at Bloomfield Road back in November 2018. Since then, staff from the Trust have been working with the team from Baines to perfect their pitch ready for the Regional Play Offs. After a lot of hard work and an excellent presentation on the day of the Play-Off Baines School came out on top securing their place in the National Final in London.
Sharon Wright, the teacher from Baines School that has coordinated their involvement in the competition, said, “The Trust provides our students with the invaluable opportunity to develop not just enterprise skills but real-life skills. I have watched quiet students grow in confidence, develop unexpected friendships, learn to work together as team and manage their time efficiently. We can’t wait to take part in the National Final.” 
Jack Shields, The Trust’s Enterprise Coordinator, praised Baines for their fantastic efforts winning the Regional Play-Off. Jack said, “Initially the group were understandably nervous about presenting because it is a huge occasion. Being at a Premier League stadium in front of a crowd of 70+ people is daunting for anybody, let alone young people experiencing something like this for the first time. The team did themselves proud, they put so much work in and they presented with such confidence. It has been excellent to see them grow in the competition. I’m delighted for them, and excited at the prospect of taking part in the National Final in March regardless of the outcome.”
The final now awaits Baines, who will represent Blackpool FC Community Trust and present their ideas to a panel of judges from the world of football and business, in London. Watch this space to find out the result come March.
For more information our Premier League Enterprise programme, call 01253 348691.
