SCM Academy

As we all know, many of the problems we see in the world — war, crime, and violence — often come from people who had a difficult start in life. Maybe they never had the chance to pursue their dreams. Maybe no one ever told them they were good enough or believed in them.

Unfortunately, those stories are real for many children around the world.

When I was a child, my parents took me to the local football club in my hometown. There, I became part of something much bigger than a team. It felt like a second family.

The football club was the gathering point of the town. Everyone could be part of it, and everyone had a role. It was a place full of community, laughter, and belonging.

For me, it was much more than "just" a football club.

Our coach wasn't paid, and he didn't have formal coaching education. But he believed in us. And sometimes, belief is all it takes. His encouragement gave us the courage and strength to face difficult moments in life — lessons that still guide me today.

Later in life, I became a professional footballer and experienced clubs with better facilities, bigger stadiums, and larger budgets. But no matter how big a club is or how much money it has, nothing will ever replace the football years of my childhood.

And because of that, I always knew that one day I wanted to give something back.

When I was 18 years old and playing professional football for FC Nordsjælland, I travelled with the team to Ghana.

We visited schools, local communities, and trained with the girls at Right to Dream Academy. I remember standing in front of a classroom of children. I thought I was there to teach them something, but the truth was that they were the ones teaching me.

That trip changed something inside me.

Thanks to Tom Vernon, FC Nordsjælland, and Right to Dream, I experienced lessons that no school could ever have taught me. When I returned home in 2018, I knew one thing for sure:

That idea slowly grew into what would become Sport Creates Memories.

Since founding SCM, I have spent years traveling across Africa and Europe, learning from local communities and understanding how sport can truly make a difference.

Our approach is simple.

We establish grassroots football clubs run by local volunteers — coaches, community leaders, and passionate individuals who want to create opportunities for children in their villages and towns.

Together we create safe environments where children can play, learn teamwork, build friendships, and simply enjoy being children. Something that unfortunately is not a privilege every child gets to experience.

Seeing thousands of smiling children when football arrives in their communities reminds us every day why we do this work.

In 2023, a new idea started forming.

At first, I didn't like it.

From the very beginning, SCM was built on the belief that football should be for everyone, not only the most talented players. The idea of starting a football academy for elite talent felt like it went against that principle.

But the inspiration didn't come from me. It came from our local coaches.

Again and again they asked the same questions:

Even if none of their players ever made it to an academy, they wanted the children to know that the opportunity existed. And they were right.

When I was young, scouts watched our games. That opportunity allowed me to eventually play for a club like FC Nordsjælland. Many talented children in African communities never get that chance.

At the same time, the football industry was generating enormous transfer fees around the world.

So a new idea emerged:

The concept behind SCM Academy became clear. We would create an academy that offers full scholarships to talented players, giving them education, professional training, and a real pathway into football.

And if those players succeed, through transfers or other opportunities — the revenue generated would be reinvested back into our grassroots clubs and leagues.

In that way, the academy becomes a sustainable engine that supports thousands of children playing football in local communities.

The mission remains the same: to create a better world through sport.

For three years, I worked quietly on the idea, writing plans, creating budgets, thinking through every possibility.

Then, one day in April 2025, we laid the first bricks of SCM Academy.

Today, seeing the academy buildings rise from the ground feels surreal.

But this is not the end of the journey. It is only the beginning.

Because every football club we build, every child who gets the chance to play, and every local coach who believes in their community brings us one step closer to our mission.

And to prove that sometimes, a football can change a life. ⚽

— Laura Juul Hansen