OUR STORY
HOW KINETIC BEGAN
The Kinetic Foundation was founded in 2011, in the wake of the 2011 London riots, by former Crystal Palace coach Harry Hudson and James Fotheringham. This was driven by a shared belief in the power of football to foster positive change in London.
Following the 2011 London riots, the challenges facing young people across South London became increasingly visible. Kinetic began with a simple idea: harness young people’s passion for football to build meaningful relationships, keep them engaged in education and create opportunities for their futures on and off the pitch.
Watch the documentaries below to learn more about our story.
OUR JOURNEY SO FAR
15 YEARS OF KINETIC
15 years on, Kinetic continues to use the power of football to empower young people and provide new opportunities. Since 2011, over 12,000 young people have been supported to build successful futures on and off the pitch.
2011
WHERE IT STARTED
Kinetic Foundation was founded in South London, using football to foster positive change for young people through community football sessions.
2013
EDUCATIONAL OFFERING
The first intake of players onto a full-time post-16 programme.
2013
FIRST PROFESSIONAL SIGNING
Myles Kenlock becomes the first professional signing, joining Ipswich Town on a professional contract.
2019
HARRIS FEDERATION PARTNERSHIP
We started working with Harris City Academy Crystal Palace from the Harris Federation to implement the Kinetic Academy programme in sixth form.
2022
GIRLS PROGRAMME LAUNCHES
We built on our expertise in coaching to provide girls with the opportunity for high level training combined with of pitch opportunities.
2023
MENTORING PROGRAMME
To further support our young people off the pitch we implemented mentoring programmes which ultimately progressed into our Kinetic Futures pillar.
2026
THE STORY CONTINUES
What began in South London in 2011 has grown into a community supporting thousands of young people through football, education and opportunities.
Our ambition remains the same:
To ensure a young person’s background does not determine their future, and to empower the next generation to achieve their potential on and off the pitch.
