Children and staff from South Norwood Primary School have welcomed former pupil Kwadwo Baah for a very special training session. Kwadwo, a professional footballer playing for Watford Football Club, surprised the school’s football team halfway through a training session to show off his skills and inspire the young players.
Kwadwo, who had just played the night before in an EFL Cup match against English Premiership champions Manchester City, made time during a family visit to reconnect with his former school and inspire the next generation of footballers.
The young athletes were thrilled to play alongside a professional footballer, who once stood where they are now.
After joining in on the action, Kwadwo spent time answering the children’s questions about his career, sharing insights into his journey from playing football at school to competing at the professional level. He then signed shirts and shoes to leave the children with lasting memories of his visit.
Kwadwo’s return to South Norwood Primary School is especially meaningful given the school’s strong sporting tradition, with a record number of pupils playing for various football clubs across Croydon and Bromley. In recent years, South Norwood has won the Croydon School Football League and reached a number of cup finals, while the school also excels in netball, gymnastics, and basketball across all age groups.
The visit came about as Kwadwo has maintained contact with the school in recent years. After being spotted playing on loan for Burton Albion, Mickey Mullin, South Norwood’s PE teacher, reached out to Kwadwo, and the young footballer generously sent a signed shirt from that match. The two have remained in contact ever since as everyone at South Norwood follows Kwadwo’s career with interest.
South Norwood Primary School is a member of The Pioneer Academy Trust.
Mickey Mullin, PE Teacher at South Norwood Primary School, said:
“We’re incredibly proud of Kwadwo and everything he’s achieved. It’s so inspiring for our pupils to see someone from their own community go on to succeed like this and his visit will have left a lasting impression on our young footballers.
“We want every one of our pupils to know they can go on to achieve great things, whether that’s on the sporting field, the classroom, or in their working life. We’re very grateful to Kwadwo for coming to visit, giving us so much of his time, and making this training session so very special.”
