There are many routes to becoming a professional footballer - but starting out as a PE teaching assistant might not be the first one that springs to mind.
This was the case for Jamal Lowe, a striker who is signed to Premier League side Bournemouth and currently on loan to Swansea City. Ahead of Thank a Teacher Day 2024, BBC Bitesize visited a school in the Welsh city to find out more about Jamal’s journey from the classroom to the football pitch.
Jamal Lowe discusses his journey from teaching assistant to professional footballer
Kim: Working as a PE teaching assistant might not be the most obviously route into playing top-flight football, but that's exactly what Jamal Lowe did. So I've come to a school here in Swansea, to find out about the striker's many ups and downs before he became top of the class.
Jamal: It didn't happen until I was about fifteen, sixteen, I went to Barnet in League Two and made my debut, I think at seventeen. Few appearances in League Two and then kind of went downhill. I was playing at Hemel Hempstead, we were in the seventh tier of English football at the time, and I travelled to an away game and wasn't named on the bench when there was a space on the bench. That was like the nail in the coffin, where football might not be my career path. I was almost gifted an opportunity to be a football coach and that materialised into being a PE teaching assistant. It's such a rewarding job.
Student: It's been so cool to meet him. Somebody who's managed to get that far with something that they wanted to do despite everything. He's such a nice guy too to have met.
Kim: And you're really keen to continue to shine a light on teaching assistants and support staff in schools aren't you. Why is that?
Jamal: I don't think that it gets the credit that it deserves because they have such a responsibility to the children providing education, authority, respect and all the morals that you need growing up.
Kim: Focusing back on your story, you ended up leaving teaching not through no love of it, but because you thought I'm going to give this football thing one last go.
Jamal: Yeah.
Kim: You dropped back down the leagues and you start finding a love for it again and a passion for it again and everything started to click into place.
Jamal: It was just perfect timing for me, really. I obviously quit the job went fully, fully focused into giving it my all and Portsmouth just come knocking at the right time for me and ended up getting promoted to League One which was unreal.
Student: His mentality from being a PE teacher just to go to being a professional footballer, it's unbelievable how he's just got the inspiration and determination to be one of those big players.
Kim: We're sat here today, you're now obviously signed to Bournemouth in the Premier League, you're on loan at the moment at Swansea. What is it like playing football at such a high level?
Jamal: Honestly, when I made my Prem debut, it was at Man City. I was just on the same pitch as De Bruyne and Haaland and Silva, the scoreline wasn't in my mind at all. It was just like, wow, I'm here, I'm at the Etihad.
Kim: And when you represented the Jamaican national side, you also came up against Mr Messi, no less.
Jamal: That was unreal. I remember the game. All tactical shape kind of went out the window and I was like 'I'm just going to chase Messi around for a little bit.'
Kim: Touch him.
Jamal: Yeah, just so I can just get close enough.
Kim: Is there any element of teaching assistant work that you use in your day to day life as a footballer.
Jamal: Some people need a little bit more encouragement to get involved in a group and I feel like with my teaching experience as well as getting a bit older and being a bit more mature, I feel like that is almost my role.
Kim: And finally, just a word for anyone who's maybe stuck in a bit of a career rut or studying for something that they really want to do, but it's not quite happening for them, what would you say to them?
Jamal: Comparison is the…what do they say?
Kim: The thief of joy.
Jamal: That is it! Comparison is the thief of joy. So don't compare to anyone else. Your story is yours, and just focus on the goal that you're trying to get to and no matter how long it takes you can get there.
Not your typical football journey
Jamal’s story began when he started playing for Barnet in League Two as a teenager. He made his debut at the age of 17, but after making a couple of appearances he noticed that things had started to go downhill.
“I travelled to an away game and wasn’t named on the bench, when there was space on the bench. That was like the nail in the coffin where football might not be my career path,” he told BBC Bitesize.
But one day he was offered the opportunity to become a football coach. “That materialised into becoming a PE teaching assistant. It’s such a rewarding job.”
Jamal, a supporter of the Teaching Awards Trust, is now keen to shine a light on teaching assistants and support staff in schools, and explained: “I don’t think it gets the credit that it deserves. They have such a responsibility to the children, providing education, authority, respect and all that you need growing up.”
Eventually Jamal made the decision to leave teaching, in order to give football one more shot - and it paid off when he signed for Portsmouth. He helped the team to win the 2016/17 League Two title and scored a goal in the final match that saw them secure automatic promotion, an experience he described as “unreal”.
Despite playing football full-time now, Jamal has been able to use his former job to make a difference on the pitch. He says that he is able to give people encouragement to get involved in a group and describes this as his role within the team.
Students and teachers react to meeting Swansea City striker Jamal Lowe
It's obviously brilliant to have someone local from the Swans coming in. It gives the pupils - there's obviously a bit of buzz around the school.
The resilience that he has shown and how he didn't get the first time but then he persevered and got there in the end. I think it's inspired a lot of the pupils today.
It's good to show that people have had the career changes and can go from either other careers into teaching or teaching into something like football. And again it is good for us teachers, but again, it's good for the pupils to show them how much variety there is out there.
It's very motivational as like a lot of people that do play sports can't make it. So it shows that like there's obviously other opportunities, but it's also like good, how he's doing the academic side of things as well.
He's a great role model for the children, I've got to be honest. And the staff, they've all loved seeing them today.
I always thought that if you weren't in the academies at a young age, you can't really make it. But now hearing his story, he was a PE teacher and it's just given me even more inspiration to continue.
What is it like to be a Premier League footballer?
Fast-forward to today and Jamal is currently signed as a striker to Premier League side Bournemouth, where playing at such a high level has its pinch-me moments.
“When I made my Prem debut it was against Manchester City. I was on the same pitch as [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Erling] Haaland and [Bernado] Silva,
“The score line wasn’t in my mind at all. It was like, ‘Wow, I’m here. I’m at the Etihad.’”
As well as playing on loan for Swansea, Jamal represents the Jamaican national team. In 2022 he featured in an international friendly against Argentina, which saw him up against eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
“I remember the game, all tactical shape went out the window and I thought, I’m just gonna chase Messi around for a little bit.”
So what advice does Jamal have for anyone who’s trying to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of their dreams?
“Comparison is the thief of joy,” he told us.
“Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, your story is yours. Just focus on the goal you’re trying to get to. No matter how long it takes, you can get there.”
This article was published in February 2024
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