The Sunday morning sun was weak, filtering through the grey clouds over North London. It was the kind of morning that made you want to stay under the duvet with a cup of tea.
But Alex Finch was not under a duvet. He was standing in the middle of a muddy pitch at the local park.
He was wearing a whistle around his neck and a tracksuit that was slightly too big for him.
"Okay!" Alex shouted. "Listen up!"
Twenty kids, aged between eight and ten, looked at him. They were wearing oversized bibs and muddy boots. Some were picking their noses. Some were chasing pigeons.
"Today," Alex said, trying to sound authoritative. "We are going to learn about space."
"Space?" a kid named Timmy asked. He was wearing a shirt that said 'Future Ronaldo'. "Like astronauts?"
"No, Timmy," Alex sighed. "Space on the pitch. Finding the gap."
"I found a gap in the fence!" another kid, Sarah, yelled. "A dog got in!"
"Ignore the dog," Alex said. "Focus on the ball."
