The current lockdown means our Regional Talent Club (RTC) teams are missing out on time together, but they have made up for it with meet-ups over Zoom, including a culinary cook-up and match watch-along.
The Under-14s and Under-16s were treated to a fantastic cook-along session by Colour Sergeant Mike Beaton from the Royal Marines, otherwise known as the Commando Chef.
Mike showed the players how to make a delicious chicken and rice dish, which was healthy and nutritious, as well as teaching them the finer points of eating well as young athletes.
The players not only learned a new skill, they also ended up making dinner for themselves and their families which was much appreciated by players and parents alike.
That was followed up by a match watch-along when Albion Women travelled to West Ham.
RTC players were split into their age phases using Zoom's breakout rooms and watched the closely fought match on the club website.
The teams were challenged by their coaches to guess the score of the match, the time of the first goal and make some positional observations. They also had a lot of fun along the way, chatting about the game and spending some virtual time with their teammates.
The watch-along really brought the squads together and made sure they were connected, as well as helping with player development and learning. It went so well that the RTC is planning on running a second watch-along for all players in the near future.