Sporting Equals - BME, black and minority ethnic sport, physical activity, coaching and volunteering

The story of Harmeet Bharj

A-level student Harmeet Bharj from Leeds has been playing football since he was very young. Like many of his mates, he played in parks, at school and every chance he got to kick a ball about. So far, so ordinary. But Harmeet is no ordinary footballer.

Starting with the age of 10 when he joined Yorkshire Amateurs in the Sunday club league, he has been striking for the highest. At the age of 13 he scored 31 goals in a season, averaging between 2 and 3 goals in a match and outgunning much older boys with his pace, control and vision. Now at the age of 17, Harmeet was one of the boys who took part in the Sporting Equals Talent Id programme with Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Identified immediately by Sporting Equals coaches as a boy with an immense ability, he dazzled at the integrated training session with the Spurs Academy, catching the eye of Chris Ramsey, Assistant Academy Manager/Head of Player Development at the club who said: “If only Harmeet had been spotted earlier and picked up by one of the academies before he reached the scholarship age of 17, he would have had a very strong chance of progressing. His obvious natural talent is just too raw for us to take on at this stage.”

The Talent Identification programme, and Harmeet’s story in particular, has prompted Sporting Equals to look at younger players for future programmes. It also raises serious questions about why Harmeet was not spotted sooner. This is an example of how vital scouting in non traditional areas can be. Overlooking players with such a talent has a double impact on the clubs that miss out and the players that don’t get the chance to play at their highest level and demonstrate their potential. David Mbaziira from Sporting Equals asks: “How did the Yorkshire football development infrastructure overlook a boy as good as Harmeet? Why did we have to take him to London, to get him noticed? It might be that scouts and academy talent-spotters stick to the established schools and clubs they know, and other organisations don’t get access to the opportunities that might be available. Are the scouts looking in the right places? If not, they are missing out on talent, and young players are missing out on opportunity.” Nevertheless, Harmeet is continuing to improve his already impressive game. He may have missed out on the fast track Academy route, but he is determined to keep on playing, learning, setting up and scoring goals on the way to a professional career.

Sporting Equals have promoted Harmeet's story and made the football infrastructural bodies in Yorkshire aware of his talent. We continue to be available on the other end of a phone to advise Harmeet on any queries and have signposted him to both his local County Sports Partnership and West Ridings County FA, in order to develop his considerable talent.

Could you benefit from our help?

If you would like to find out more about how Sporting Equals may be able to help you please contact the Consultancy team at Sporting Equals by email: info@sportingequals.org.uk, or telephone:
0121 777 1375