The event saw approximately 170 coaches from across the North West to watch the current England U21 Head Coach in action. The event gave grassroots coaches the opportunity to see a variety of sessions from both The FA Skills Team and Gareth Southgate using the theme of ‘Creativity’ to structure their practices to encourage and allow the players to experience freedom throughout the sessions.

The evening started with a meet and greet session where grassroots volunteers from club and league officials through to coaches and FA Community Award winners from across both Counties were given the chance to spend some time with Gareth discussing football with someone who has played at the highest levels for both club and country. 

Coaches and volunteers then took to the stand to observe The FA Skills Team working with Penrith AFC Juniors U10’s to deliver 3 different sessions including warm up/ arrival activity where children were encouraged to move with a ball and evading capture from the opposing teams. Individual questions and challenges were used to motivate and encourage the players.

Tom Penny (FA Skills Team Member) said: “it’s been great to deliver to so many coaches and help promote what the skills programme is all about, whilst demonstrating our methods and rationale behind why we do what we do”.

After The FA Skills Team had concluded and debriefed the players there was a question and answer session in front of the observing coaches where they offered some brief reflections as to what they would do differently if they were to run the session again.

Gareth Southgate then took to the field beginning his session with briefing coaches around the expectations they had and what they expected to see within a session.  He spent time explaining the set up before commencing with the eager coaches ready to take notes on how he delivers.

Gareth’s session lasted around an hour and a half before he debriefed the players and asked them a number of questions to reflect on the outcomes of the session. The players left the field with beaming smiles having just experienced an excellent training session with the England U21 Head Coach.

After Gareth’s session coaches got to quiz him on what they had just seen and his philosophy behind how he works with his England players.  In answering excellent questions from the coaches about the session, the England set up, the constraints on the professional player, and how the future game is affecting grassroots football.

At the end of the evening, Gareth gave time for photographs and signing autographs.

Dan Ferguson (Football Development Officer) for Westmorland County FA said: “it’s absolutely fantastic to see so many coaches from across both counties attend to further their own development. Our hope is that every coach will take a little bit from the evening which they can apply to their own coaching practice to become better coaches. The evening and sessions were designed so that no matter what the level of coach you were (1-4) there was something which you could take away”.

Initial feedback from the event has been excellent with discussions already in place to run something similar next season and develop as an annual event.

We would like to thank Penrith AFC for their hospitality and use of their facility.

CLICK HERE to view the sessions which coaches received on the evening.

CLICK HERE to view the Westmorland County FA Coach Education Programme.

If you would like more information on any of the above please contact  Dan Ferguson (Football Development Officer) on 01539 730946 or email Daniel.Ferguson@WestmorlandFA.com