Father and son to cycle 137 miles to help young players access elite football coaching
Matthew and Ethan Price will cycle from Cambridgeshire to Stoke-on-Trent to raise money for Pro Level Vision
A father and son are taking on a 137-mile cycle challenge from Cambridgeshire to Stoke-on-Trent to help vulnerable and disadvantaged young people access high-quality football coaching.
Matthew and Ethan Price, from Haddenham near Cambridge, will complete the two-day ride to raise money for Pro Level Vision, the charity set up by former Port Vale captains Tom Conlon and Nathan Smith as the charitable arm of their coaching academy, Pro Level Academy.
The Prices currently make an almost 300-mile round trip every week by car so that goalkeeper Ethan, who plays for Bishop’s Stortford U18s and Shelford and Stapleford Strikers, can train with Pro Level Academy’s specialist coaching team at Keele University.
Inspired by the impact the academy has had on Ethan’s development, the pair decided to take on the cycle challenge as a way of giving something back and helping other young people access the same standard of training.
Matthew, 55, and Ethan, 16, have been training hard in preparation for the ride and have even had a video call with four-time Olympic medallist Ed Clancy, who shared his top tips for successful cycling.
They plan to cycle for around 10 hours on the first day and seven hours on the second, arriving in Stoke-on-Trent the day before Pro Level Vision’s third charity ball, which takes place on Saturday, 28 February. They will be accompanied by wife and mum Vicki, who will be driving the support car.
Matthew said: “We are so grateful for the training and support that Ethan gets at Pro Level Academy that we wanted to give something back. We wanted to do something that took us out of our comfort zone, in recognition of the challenges faced by the young people supported by Pro Level Vision.
“We have never done anything like this before and we are really looking forward to pushing ourselves to raise money for such a worthwhile cause.”
PLV co-founder and chair of trustees Tom Conlon, who now plays for Oldham Athletic, said: “We really do appreciate Matthew and Ethan’s support and their backing for what we are doing. What makes this so special is that they understand first-hand the difference access to high-quality coaching and positive role models can make to a young person’s confidence and future.
“Pro Level Vision exists to remove barriers for young people who might otherwise miss out, and challenges like this help us reach more youngsters and give them opportunities they truly deserve. We wish Matthew and Ethan the very best of luck and look forward to welcoming them into Stoke-on-Trent.”
For more information or to donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/cycleforsmiles
Tickets for Pro Level Vision’s Bingo Royale, with special entertainment from Bongo’s Bingo, are available from https://app.galabid.com/plv-bingo-royale/event-tickets