All Together Now Lesson Leads To Player Surprise For Young Blues

Charly Alcaraz, Harrison Armstrong and Merlin Rohl surprised young Evertonians at a local school last week – and discovered how they have been learning about inclusion and respect through their love of the Blues.

The youngsters, from Plantation Primary School in Halewood, make up the school's Everton School Supporters' Club and regularly take part in activities with a football focus. 

With the Club celebrating its All Together Now equity and inclusion campaign this weekend, the pupils were discussing the initiative's values of respect, celebrate and empower when the players walked in to find out more.

After handing out Everton goody bags and talking to the youngsters about artwork they had been creating, the trio answered questions on teamwork and their own experiences of adapting to new situations and learning about other cultures through football.

"The kids had some great questions, and it was a great topic we talked about," said Rohl, who left his native Germany when he joined Everton last summer. "There were some similarities between how things are when you're coming from abroad to a new team and how things are when you're in a classroom.

"Everybody needs respect, everybody needs to work together and enjoy themselves, and we all need to support each other. That's very important in our team and how we try to act on the pitch and off the pitch."

The Everton School Supporters' Club initiative runs across the Liverpool City Region, bringing young Blues together in a classroom environment, developing their shared passion for the Club and using the power of football as a tool for learning.

"It's just been a great opportunity for the kids and the school as a whole," said Mr Crawford, an Evertonian who leads the School Supporters' Club at Plantation Primary. "With it being so close to the training ground, I think that connection [with Everton] is important for everyone.

"Through being part of the School Supporters' Club, the kids have really all excelled in it and that link is really helpful on a day-to-day basis, not just on days like this.

"It's important to celebrate differences, it's important to respect differences. The players worked with [the pupils] whilst they were talking about celebration, empowerment and respect. They were giving their experiences, their thoughts on it, and it was really, really helpful. 

"We kept the visit from the kids as well so, when the three came in, they were absolutely delighted."

Everton and Everton in the Community are celebrating All Together Now at this weekend’s fixtures, including this evening’s Premier League visit of Leeds United.

Created in 2018, All Together Now increases awareness of the work done by Everton and its official charity to champion equity, inclusion and diversity, while also having the goal of tackling discrimination and hate in all its forms. To find out more, click here.