KICK IT OUT coach developers Yas Latif and Alex West spent last year working alongside coaches up and down the country to tackle unconscious bias in the game and champion inclusivity in grassroots football.  

The pair have been running workshops, aiding grassroots coaches create more welcoming environments in football. Bias in football continues to blight the game — on the field as well as off — but Latif, Kick It Out coach educator for the south region, says these workshops are making a real difference.

The sessions use interactive discussions, real-life case studies, and practical tips to encourage coaches to reflect and find ways to make their teams more inclusive.  

Coaches have told Latif they’re now more mindful of the language they use and more focused on ensuring every member of their teams feels included. 

“We work with coaches to help them understand how their language and unconscious biases can affect others and to give them the tools to create a more inclusive culture at their clubs,” Latif explains.  

“People often have good intentions but might not realise how their words or actions impact their teams. Our sessions are a safe space where coaches can make mistakes, learn, and develop the skills to create an inclusive environment.” 

For Alvaro Castano, founder of The A Academy, the workshop was a game-changer. 

“The Kick It Out inclusion workshop, delivered to our coaching staff at the A Academy by Yas, was an eye-opening and empowering session. Yas’s expertise and passion for fostering inclusion in football made the workshop both engaging and deeply impactful.”

Similarly, Azza Shakib from Portsmouth & Southsea Futsal Club praised the workshop’s approach. 

“Yas was brilliant with our team, delivering an educational and engaging workshop on equality, diversity, and inclusion. We’d highly recommend this workshop to everyone in the industry.” 

The coach developer workshops delivered by Kick It Out are part of a wider initiative in partnership with McDonald’s Fun Football, which also includes funding coaching bursaries to support aspiring coaches who are unable to finance their coaching qualifications.