John Farnworth, who has won World and European freestyle football titles, kicked the campaign off with a skills session for kids in Greenwich. Read our interview with him here, then check out the video at the bottom to see how good he is!

 

What made you first get involved with freestyle?

I went to an event in Manchester back in 2003, and that’s what got me hooked. There were no real boundaries or limits to what you could do, so that’s what helped get me into it.

 

Did you have a natural ability for it? 

It was just purely practice. I wouldn’t really call myself a talented person. I could hardly do anything when I started.

 

What skills do you think are best for kids to learn first?

I started with just kick-ups with my laces when I was younger. I couldn’t even do ten, so I set myself a challenge every day of doing one more. I always tell people to not really worry about what everyone else does – if your record’s one, that’s fine, just try and do two. If it’s 200, try and do 201.

 

Is there one trick that’s easy to learn but looks cool?

When I was young, the one trick I wanted to do was balance the ball on my neck. I thought it looked quite cool, and you can learn it after a few minutes of practice. It’s always a good confidence builder as well, because people like it.

 

Do people look amazed when they watch you?

Yeah, I think that’s the nice thing about it. I was in America last week doing some stuff, and the reaction over there was really good. That’s what drives you all the time as well, when people enjoy what you’re doing.

 

Why should kids try freestyle for the Kick campaign?

I always find that freestyle is good for the confidence. It doesn’t matter whether you play football or sport, there’s always something within freestyle that you can achieve. In freestyle, everyone’s equal.

 

Make sure you watch the video below to see John's silky skills. To find out how you can play football and raise money at the same time, see www.clicsargent.org.uk/football or call 08451 20 22 32.