Football solving issues, achieving goals in Birmingham
By Sported | 2 April 2025
How do you impact a community? How do you turn 10 into 500? How do you change the lives of young people for the better?
The answer, a grassroots sports club called Birmingham Youth Sports Academy, or BYSA to its friends.
The club is now approaching a quarter-century in existence and has brought thousands of kids through its doors in the Small Heath and Saltley areas of the city.
And the aim, says Anwar Khattak, BYSA’s Founder, is to create well-rounded individuals as much as unearthing the next Jack Grealish.
“It’s all about empowering the youth, giving them that opportunity to express themselves,” says Khattak.
“We started with 10-20 kids in the local park and now we have an army of over 500 kids that play here. Everyone from all walks of life. Ages from 7 to 21, a lot of people who have learning difficulties and medical conditions.
“Some have had difficult times, some have had peer pressure, some have had confidence problems, self-esteem problems.
“We try and cater for them all and empower them.”
The club was set up in 2002 with the aim to ‘meet the needs of various young people and individuals and enable them to achieve their full potential’.
“BYSA makes the children and young people feel a part of a family and sport makes change, it’s absolute change. It could be physically, mentally, academically, emotionally, you name it,” Khattak continues.
“We do work with the ones who are actually in trouble with the law, so what we try to do is we try to help those people to get out of negative environments and atmospheres in order to be in a positive atmosphere, with proper role models to guide them and mentor them.”
For the team at BYSA, football is about far more than just kicking a ball about. It’s about learning new skills, being a positive within society, and developing into a leader for the future.
“They come, they pay and they play, but they have to take away the certain things of life,” Khattak adds.
“The respect element, the discipline element, speak when you’re spoken to. Express yourself, enjoy the game but do with a smile and with love.
“We’re not asking for much, all we’re trying to do is make good people.”
BYSA has been a part of the Sported network since 2018, receiving funding and accessing support and guidance from the charity to aid in its growth and development.
“Anwar and his team are a brilliant example of sport transforming lives,” Sported’s West Midlands manager, Sophie Tobin, proclaims. “What they deserve is recognition, not just for getting kids active, but in giving them a safe space to play, keeping their activities affordable, and in reaching out into the local community.”
These values are ones that have been instilled in generations of BYSA participants since its establishment over 20 years ago.
“I used to play for BYSA since I was 11 years old and I’m 20 now. I went from football player playing for the actual first team and then broke my leg, retired and now I’m coaching the kids,” says one of their young participants.
“To be honest, BYSA is a good community football team which keep kids away from trouble.”
“They told me respect firstly, like respect was a big thing for them. They told me I can’t swear. I can’t make fun of people. No bullying, no fighting,” adds another of BYSA’s current crop of young people.
One of their other current players adds: “I’ve been coming here for about 4-5 years. I enjoy playing football and making friends, learning how to play football and getting better every single week.”
“Grassroots is the heart of football. If you don’t have sessions and facilities and opportunities like this, what are these kids going to do?” concludes Khattak.
