"I just want to encourage kids to move again." Lewie Coyle, the 31-year-old Hull City captain, is using his own childhood on the streets of Bilton to push a simple message, that children need more chances to play outside. The campaign sits under LCFA Street Football through the Lewie Coyle Football Academy, with free pop-up sessions and jumpers-for-goalposts games planned across Hull.

Coyle's Bilton upbringing

Coyle has been open about why the idea matters to him. "I believe being allowed to lark (play) about outside gave me a head start in pursuing what my career has turned out to be as a professional footballer," he told BBC Sport. He added: "We need kids to be kids and play on the street, but of course, in a safe environment."

Dame Rachel de Souza has backed the wider message too. She said, "Playing outside develops confidence, creativity, resilience and independence. It's good for physical and mental health." She also said children want to be outside, active and with friends in places where they feel safe and welcome, while barriers include the cost of living and a lack of places to go, especially for teenagers and disabled children.

Coyle's standing at Hull City gives the campaign a bit more force than a one-off publicity push. He has already made 10 league appearances this season and played 735 minutes, so this is coming from a regular first-team captain, not a player speaking from the edge of the squad. Hull have also been involved in the project, with team-mates donating so every child taking part receives a free football.

The club captain is using his profile to talk about something far from the usual transfer noise. That message is likely to land locally because it is tied to his own Bilton memories and to a campaign that is designed to get children outside rather than online.

Hull's street football push

The practical side is straightforward. Coyle said the idea is to "chuck some jumpers down and use them as goalposts" and have "a kickabout on the streets". That old-school setup is the point, and it is meant to be repeated through free events across Hull rather than treated as a one-day stunt.

Hull's season start has been steady rather than spectacular, with 11 points from 10 matches and a 13th-place position in the table. Even so, this is not really about the league table at all. It is a local captain using a public platform to back a cause that fits his own upbringing, and the first pop-up sessions should show whether the message turns into something children in Hull actually use.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →