And on Saturday, Wolves Foundation’s cohesion coach Matt Elcock was on the end of a surprise presentation from Wolves head coach Bruno Lage as he was named the club’s ‘Community Captain’.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Premier League, each club was charged with the task of selecting their Community Captain, honouring someone who has made an outstanding contribution to their club and local community.
And the accolade at Molineux went to Elcock, who progressed from first attending a session run by Wolves’ official charity some 16 years ago to many years of supporting young people via several projects including Premier League Kicks.
At the time, Elcock, hailing from Ashmore Park, had been bullied at school and was short of confidence, but after attending the Dusk Twilight Midnight League he gradually built up his feelings of purpose and self-esteem.
“I was very quiet as a young person and didn’t have a lot of confidence, so I would go along to the sessions and just sit in the corner,” he recalls. “I wasn’t just quiet, but I was also struggling because I had been bullied at school and that made my confidence even lower.
“I was going along to the session for teenagers and the coaches must have seen some potential in me as they then invited me along to observe the session for the younger children, to see how it was run.
“The coaches encouraged me to referee a game in one of those sessions, they encouraged me, I had a go, and really enjoyed it, ended up completing my Level One qualification and it all took off from there.
“Going to those sessions and the support from the coaches encouraged me to take a path into coaching and youth work and the job I am doing now – without them I really don’t think it would have happened.”
Starting out with what was then Wolves Community Trust as a part-time casual coach delivering community projects including Kicks, Elcock completed his weekly portfolio working in youth services in Wolverhampton and then Walsall.
He completed his Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in youth work and spent a year studying at Newman University in Birmingham, adding invaluable experience which increased his skillset beyond just coaching football and saw him move into providing additional support on inclusion projects.
Continuing to work at the Foundation on a part-time basis, it was last year when he landed a full-time position, and Elcock is now at the forefront of the Inclusion & Cohesion team’s work across the community.
“Matt has carried out so much invaluable work for the Foundation for over 15 years and is the perfect choice to be named as Wolves’ Community Captain,” said Lee Smith, senior manager (operations) with the Foundation.
“Having initially arrived as a quiet and subdued participant, his talent and potential were spotted by the coaches and his move into becoming a member of staff, now helping so many other people who were in a similar position growing up, has been a fantastic success story.
“Matt’s work as part of a really strong team effort from the Foundation has helped change the lives of so many young people from our city, and he is a worthy recipient of this accolade as a shining light of the power and impact of the Premier League’s Communities programme.”
So it was that on Saturday, prior to Wolves’ first home game of the season against Fulham, Elcock was called to Lage’s matchday office under false pretences, to officially be named as Community Captain.
“I was told that I needed to help out with the Head Coach sponsors but when I came into the office it was just Bruno standing there congratulating me and passing on a few gifts,” said Elcock.
“It was a really nice surprise from Bruno and the Premier League and, looking back a few days later, quite surreal and I can’t really believe it!
“I am part of a great team of people working at the Foundation and we don’t do the job for recognition but instead just to try and help young people progress with their lives.
“They let us into their lives for us to support them and build trust and that is a real privilege that we never take for granted.
“It’s nice for all of us to be able to make a difference and, from my point of view, it is an absolute pleasure to be doing this role on a full-time basis for the charity which I love.
“And I want to thank all the people who I have worked with over the years, both coaches and youth workers, as I have always had great support in what is a real team effort.”
It is not only Lage who has passed on his congratulations from the Wolves’ management fraternity.
Many years ago, Elcock was asked to carry out a coaching session at the Foundation to be filmed by ITV Central news, in front of then Wolves boss McCarthy.
“I had all these anxieties in my head, coaching these kids in front of Central News and Mick McCarthy,” he recalls.
“But I did it, and got through it, and once again it was a great experience to help me learn and develop.”
And McCarthy himself has now passed on his good wishes.
“Congratulations to Matt on this richly deserved accolade of becoming Wolves’ Community Captain.
“That coaching session you delivered seems a very long time ago now but I’m sure I picked up a few tips!
“Well done pal, and keep up the great work.”
