Leyland's Liv Cooke, a freestyle world champion and Tiktok sensation, returns to her old school, Balshaw's to launch new book

Liv returned to her former high school in the hope to inspire the next generation.
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Yesterday, a freestyle football world champion, TikTok sensation, and BBC sport presenter from Leyland, returned to her old school, Balshaw's Church of England High School, for the launch of her first book.

22 year old Liv Cooke, who also holds five freestyle football world records, visited her former high school to celebrate the launch of 'Way To Win', described as the ultimate guide to reaching the top of any industry and becoming your best self.

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Liv, who has over 6 million followers on social media, said: "What better way to launch a product for the next generation than doing it with the next generation. People tend to have parties, and they get influencers, celebrities, friends, family, and its a celebration of what they’ve created and who they are, and that’s amazing but when it was pitched to me, something didn’t sit right.

Freestyle world champion and TikTok star Liv Cooke pays a visit to her old school Balshaw's Church of England High to celebrate her first book release. She is pictured with pupils Ava Millard and Millie Banks, both aged 12.Freestyle world champion and TikTok star Liv Cooke pays a visit to her old school Balshaw's Church of England High to celebrate her first book release. She is pictured with pupils Ava Millard and Millie Banks, both aged 12.
Freestyle world champion and TikTok star Liv Cooke pays a visit to her old school Balshaw's Church of England High to celebrate her first book release. She is pictured with pupils Ava Millard and Millie Banks, both aged 12.

"I felt like launch day wasn’t about me or my product, it was about the next generation, so that’s why I said I don’t want a party, I want to go back to my high school, where it all started and try and inspire the next generation with it."

The previous winner of the Parliamentary Rising Star and Woman of the Future awards, added: "I wasn’t sure how it would go down but it was crazy, it was very well received. I met the kids, they could all come up and get a book, I gave away some footballs, and I signed them, and a lot of them were asking for the chance to show me their skills which was really nice.

"I thought it was amazing and it really reminded me why I do what I do. Their smiles and excitement reminded me to keep pushing because it has a bigger purpose, it’s bigger than me."

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On top of her own successful career, Liv actively works to increase accessibility in grass roots football, with her own brand of footballs, called W1N, sponsoring various grass roots clubs in the area, and she has also taken on a new role with Football Foundation.

The Way To Win is Liv's first book and it hopes to inspire the next generation.The Way To Win is Liv's first book and it hopes to inspire the next generation.
The Way To Win is Liv's first book and it hopes to inspire the next generation.

Liv said: "Now I’ve achieved the dream and kind of got everything that I want, I’ve been able to open my vision up to how I can make an impact, and more recently, that’s by working with the Football Foundation, a charity focusing on increasing accessibility to football for kids.

"I work with the local council, local authorities, the Premiere League and the Football Association to increase accessibility through unlocking the power of football pitches, so it’s my role to liaise with those authorities to ensure that the areas that need pitches get them in order to increase participation in football."

Liv has already secured the planning permission and the funding to build two pitches, with changing rooms, in Bamber Bridge.

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Work has now started on the 2.74 million pound development, which is hoping to open in March 2022.

The students of Balshaw's Church of England High School were excited to meet their famous alumnus.The students of Balshaw's Church of England High School were excited to meet their famous alumnus.
The students of Balshaw's Church of England High School were excited to meet their famous alumnus.

Liv said: "I’m from Leyland so for my first football pitch development, I wanted to make sure it was around my home town.

"Football gave me everything, it gave me confidence, it gave me friends, it made me who I am and it gave me everything that I’ve got today, I’m sat here in a dream car, a Lamborghini, and that all goes back to grass roots football so I’m very grateful for it and that’s why I’m very active in giving back to it right now.

"I do feel very passionately about the role and I’m looking forward to seeing the difference I can make."

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Liv's latest range of W1N footballs will also be dropping tonight at 5pm, and all the proceeds from the sale will go back to grassroots football.

To find out more about W1N visit their website, and you can also follow Liv on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.