A girls’ football team has marked International Women’s Day with a training session at Aston Villa, where they thanked their PE teacher for being an important role model in their lives.
Former British Army soldier, championship boxer and My Tomorrow ambassador Tori-Ellis Willets set up the first girls’ team at Chilwell Croft Academy, in Newtown, to inspire the Year 5 and 6 students to follow their dreams on and off the pitch.
The 29-year-old former team GB Olympic boxer is working with the My Tomorrow campaign, which is funded by the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) and aims to improve the life chances of young people in inner-city Birmingham and beyond.
Tori, who also offers one-on-one boxing sessions with pupils who are struggling at school, said: “There’s a lot of young people who haven’t got people pushing them and making them go beyond the boundaries, so I think giving the children opportunities, through my work with the school, the partnership with the Aston Villa Foundation and the My Tomorrow campaign is really important to me.
“It enables the students to experience other things in life, outside of the classroom and raises their aspirations, rather than them thinking they can’t achieve something, or just settle for what they’ve got so far.
“My parents and siblings were always like that with me, pushing me and it makes you grow as a person. If you can be a role model to the younger people and give them the message that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve, you should, somebody’s got to do it.”
Chilwell Croft Academy has regular access to the state-of-the-art facilities at Aston Villa’s Inner City Academy, after the school joined the club’s Premier League Primary Stars Programme.
They were one of a number of local primary schools invited to play at the facility this week, in a series of special events in the run up to International Women’s Day on Saturday 8 March, helping young female footballers make memories, while promoting equality and inclusion in the game.
Danielle Beckett, Schools Manager for the Aston Villa Foundation, said the opening of the facility last year has been a real highlight for staff and students.
“The facilities we have been able to use have given our events, beyond our core programme delivery, the wow factor and a positive lasting effect on the pupils who have taken part.
“During the 2023/24 Academic year, 18 girls-only extra-curricular football sessions were able to take place outside of the classroom environment, with this number continuing to rise in 2025.
“Celebrating campaigns such as International Women’s Day helps to empower the girls in the local communities around Villa Park, showcasing how female involvement in football and sport is increasing.”
The Premier League Primary Stars Programme enriches the school curriculum and supports teachers who want to inspire children by using the power of football and Aston Villa.
10-year-old Chilwell Croft Academy student Sahar said: “Football is great fun and it encourages me to stay active. Since Tori came to our school everything has been levelled up and she is a good role model because she takes us everywhere. We have had chances to go to so many places and try, not just football, but boxing and basketball too.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, Simon Foster, who chairs the Violence Reduction Partnership’s strategic board, said the celebrations of International Women’s Day at Aston Villa shows the power of sport in young people’s lives, and highlights the importance of collaboration.
“The special events this week have clearly empowered teachers to make a real difference to their students, allowing them to take them out of the classroom and access state-of-the-art facilities to unlock their potential.
“Tori is a great role model to her pupils and her work aligns perfectly with the aims of the My Tomorrow campaign, which has engaged thousands of young people in positive activities, not only through sport, but also careers fairs, youth summits and with the launch of a new educational programme in schools.”
