Premier league stars Rooney and Carragher are reading role models

A new study by the National Literacy Trust reveals that sports people are powerful role models for reading, as Premier League players release a recommended book list.  

The study suggests that the most influential public figures to inspire young people were not film stars or musicians, but sports personalities.  Footballers Wayne Rooney and Jamie Carragher are among 20 players pledging to use this influence for good through Premier League Reading Stars (PLRS); an initiative that uses footballers’ reading habits to inspire a passion for reading.

The PLRS initiative utilises the power of sports role models by getting footballers to talk about reading, recommend books and work with schools and libraries. Other sports stars involved in the initiative include England goalkeepers David James, Paul Robinson and Robert Green.

For the 2009 season, Reading Stars players have recommended a variety of children and adult titles, ranging from the fun and accessible to the aspirational and unexpected. They include Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Wayne Rooney, Manchester United), Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse (Jamie Carragher, Liverpool), Muhammad Ali’s autobiography: The Soul of a Butterfly (Bacary Sagna, Arsenal) and Lord of the Flies (Boaz Myhill, Hull City).

The study, which questioned 2,176 primary and secondary school children, examined how role models can influence young people’s reading habits. The positive influence footballers will have through PLRS are supported through key findings which found that other than family members, sports people are the most likely role models for young people.  

On his choice of book, Wayne Rooney said: “Harry Potter is almost every child’s favourite book and the same goes for a lot of adults too!  JK Rowling is a fantastic author and I would encourage any child to read the Harry Potter books; they are full of excitement and adventure and they really get your imagination going.”

The study also asked young people about the relationship between reading and future success, and found 24% were unsure or did not see a link. Most young people felt that being successful means being happy, having a good education and a good job.

Director of the National Literacy Trust, Jonathan Douglas said: “Football is such a huge cultural influence in this country, and this study confirms that many young people aspire to be like footballers. Premier League Reading Stars help us to harness this power and change attitudes, getting the message across that reading is important and valuable to the lives of footballers and to success.

“Almost a quarter of young people in our study were unsure or did not see the relationship between reading and future success. This suggests that there is more to be done to help young people appreciate the role that reading plays in key aspects of success, such as a good education and a good job.”

Results from last year’s project indicate that PLRS works, with 95% of children who took part saying they will read more regularly as a result.

Any school, library, youth club or football team can take part in the PLRS challenge, to read 100 books as a team to win Premier League prizes. For more information go to www.premierleaguereadingstars.org.uk