“The thing is, when you’re a naughty kid from Brent you do things you’re not supposed to do,” is the opening line from Raheem Sterling in the latest Just Do It campaign from Nike.
As a naughty kid from Brent, growing up in the shadow of your dream you’re not expected to win your first England cap aged 17, play over 50 times for your country, win two premier league titles by the age of 24, or have a greater responsibility for the next generation.
For over 30 years, Just Do It has celebrated athletes that believe sport has the power to move the world forward. As the most important footballer of a generation, on the pitch Raheem Sterling is reaching ever greater heights. Off it, a powerful voice has emerged, speaking out when others don’t and being an inspiration for the next generation.
The school he once attended, the fences he climbed, the pitches and streets where he played, and the sacrifices that his family made, his narrative reflects on what makes kids like him the way they are. Punctuated with moments from his career he watches on as the current generation of Brent kids echo his story on the streets.
Brent played an important role in Raheem’s childhood and now he’s stepping up for the next generation of young people from the borough. Raheem scored the winning goal at the 2009 London Youth Games to get Brent the gold medal.
Since then, Brent struggle to enter the tournament year on year through lack of funding and facilities. In partnership with Nike and as part of the greater commitment to London Youth Games, Raheem will be the driving force behind initiatives in Brent that will drive enablement to better serve young people in the borough.
In partnership with Brent Schools FA we will be establishing a team on the ground to set up coaching clinics for schools without coaches and for a minimum of three years will provide support to the London Youth Games for a Brent Schools FA coordinator, reigniting the team that dared Raheem to dream.
Raheem Sterling said, “Brent means everything to me; growing up there, having friends from different backgrounds, learning about different cultures and taking that with me. It was always my dream to play in the Premier League, play for England. Having Wembley in my backyard, it was always a dream of mine to play there. I’ve always wanted to give back to the community that I grew up in and give them an opportunity. This partnership with Nike and Brent Schools FA is an opportunity for me to provide guidance and the right help so a lot of kids can have the same dream as me.”