As part of his work with the Premier League Primary Stars scheme, Dan recently held a workshop with Wolves Academy’s under-11 players at Compton Park, where he gave tips to the youngsters to help improve their reading and writing skills.
He also spoke to the players about their writing inspirations, what other careers exist in sport apart from the playing side and what it takes to become a good creative writer.
The former journalist – who also worked for the Football Association, where he reported on and interviewed the England team during the 2002 World Cup – took questions from the under-11s and explained where he gets his ideas from to create the Jamie Jonson books, and how the series was turned into a popular CBBC television programme.
Dan said: “When I was at school, I was the kid who thought they hated reading and thought they were rubbish at writing. I was going up to my teachers saying ‘I can’t do it, I have no ideas’, but it was actually because I was reading and writing about things I didn’t find fun.
“What I tried to do with the Jamie Johnson series is write books which I would have liked and wish I could have been given to read when I was a child.”
At the end of his visit, Dan thrilled the young players by providing them with signed copies of his debut novel ‘The Kick-Off’.
Natalie Deakin, Academy Welfare and Education Officer at Wolves, said: “Wolves Academy were delighted to welcome sports journalist, acclaimed children’s writer and creator of the Jamie Johnson TV series, Dan Freedman.
“The under-11 children learnt a lot how to write about the things that inspire them and what they find interesting, as well as how they can pursue their dreams and goals with hard work and a little flair and creativity.
“We hope to work with Dan again in the future to develop the boys’ creative writing further, as they were also so impressed with the way he spoke and how he encouraged them to read and write to be successful.”
