Milica, a ten-year-old pupil at Tufnell Park School, has made incredible strides since joining our girls-only Premier League Primary Stars lunchtime club. When she first joined, Milica brought great enthusiasm for football but initially faced challenges with teamwork. To support her growth, we worked closely with her school and Milica to better understand her needs and provide the right support to help her develop.
As a result of her outstanding progress, Milica was invited to join the Arsenal in the Community Girls Football Plus team, a programme which is funded by the Premier League and PFA. She now trains on Tuesday nights at Tufnell Park and plays on Saturday mornings for our under-11s at Regent’s Park. Since then, she has continued to thrive, building her confidence and expanding her friendship group.
A standout moment in Milica’s journey was the opportunity to serve as an Arsenal mascot for the match against Bolton – a well-deserved reward for her brilliant progress and development both on and off the pitch.
Thanks to the ongoing support from Arsenal in the Community, Milica has undergone a remarkable transformation both on and off the pitch.
We had the opportunity to speak with Milica about her journey. Here’s what she had to share:
How do you feel when you play football?
“I feel really happy. I prefer playing to watching it, and I’ve always dreamed of being a professional footballer. Now I actually believe I can be.”
How was it being a mascot?
“I was really excited but very shy – the stadium was so loud! I was lucky enough to walk out with Riccardo Calafiori, especially as he’s a new player for Arsenal this season. Everyone at school asked me loads of questions afterwards!”
What do you enjoy most about the community sessions?
“I love playing football with different people and learning new skills. It’s close to my home too, so it’s easy to get to the sessions. When I started, I didn’t play for any team, but now I play for the Arsenal in the Community team, which I really enjoy. I love playing matches and scoring lots of goals.”
How have these sessions helped you improve?
“I’ve been playing a lot more football with different groups of friends, and I’m now part of my school team. Last year, I wasn’t in any team, but now I play for the Year 5 and 6 school teams, as well as the Arsenal in the Community team.”
Is there anyone here—like a coach or teacher—who inspires you? How?
“Coach Felix and Billie inspire me because they’re helpful, kind, and funny. They include everyone and have helped me improve my football and become more social with others.”
Milica’s transformation hasn’t gone unnoticed. Sam Thompson, her teacher and football coach, shared:
“Milica has become much more confident around adults and her peers. Her social skills have developed significantly, and she’s often the only girl playing football with the boys at lunch – she absolutely loves it.
“She’s been so excited to share her achievements, like scoring goals and being a mascot for the Bolton game.
“You can clearly see how much she’s developed socially, as well as her reading and understanding of the game. She still has moments where she loses focus and needs gentle reminders to look up and make a pass, but overall, her progress has been fantastic to witness.”
Billie Graham, our Women & Girls Coordinator at Arsenal in the Community, has also worked closely with Milica and commented on her growth:
“We’ve been really impressed with her development both on and off the pitch. It’s been lovely to see Milica expand her friendship group and improve her teamwork skills. She has grown so much since joining our sessions, and it’s wonderful to see her thriving.”
Premier League primary stars is the Premier League's primary school education programme. Funded by the Premier League, through the Premier League Charitable Fund, the porgramme uses the appeal of football to help children to be active and develop essential life skills.
Our Girls Football Plus project is supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association. Administered through the Premier League Charitable Fund, the funding helps football clubs to tackle inequality and respond to local challenges, supporting people and their communities to be more inclusive.
To find out more about these programmes, please visit premierleague.com
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