Leeds United Women pair surprise Foundation participants | OneFootball

Over the summer holidays, the Leeds United Foundation continued to deliver its Football Camps at various locations across the wider Leeds area.

One week of the Girls’ Camp in particular was hosted at The Grammar School at Leeds, where attendees were given a surprise visit from Leeds United Women midfield duo Monique Watson and Alice Hughes.

Delivered by the Foundation, the camp was open to girls aged seven to 15 of all abilities. Running throughout the school holidays, the camps use football and sport to help young people develop their skills both on and off the pitch.

Watson and Hughes joined the girls on the indoor pitch, getting involved in the action before hosting a Q&A session where the pair shared their experiences of playing football and offered advice on how to manage the pressures that can come with the game.

For some of the attendees, the session provided the perfect preparation for their evening, with a number of them making the short trip to watch what would become Leeds United Women's 3-2 victory over Halifax Women.

After the session, the pair spoke to leedsunited.com.

"It’s a privilege to be able to attend the camps, see the next generation of talent and answer all the girls’ questions," Hughes began. "They’ve got so much energy and passion and being able to feed into that is something we all enjoy.

"Most of us, when we were younger, didn’t have female role models in football, and if we did, access and visibility was almost non-existent so I think it’s important for those girls to be able to interact with us so that they know there’s a pathway forwards for them in football if they want it."

Watson continued: "For me, attending the camps is always a really positive experience and a great opportunity to see the impact the Foundation has within the next generation. As players, we’re in a fortunate position where we can inspire and connect with young people from many different backgrounds and show them what’s possible.

"I think it’s really important to continue to build that connection between the club, Foundation and the community, as football can open so many doors both on and off the pitch. Hopefully, by spending time and answering questions we can leave them feeling inspired with whatever they want to do in life."