One Two Magazine Edition 1 December 2015 One Two Magazine Edition 1 December 2015 | Page 13

FA News Is passing your FA coaching badges like passing your driving test? I remember being told when I was learning to drive – “your driving instructor teaches you to pass your test, you start learning to drive the day you pass” – and in many ways, it is true. How many people do you hear say they wouldn’t pass their test if they were to retake it 10, 20, 30, 40 years on? So, what has this got to do with the coaching pathway? On the coaching courses you are taught to pass the course. When are you ever going to ask your players about the four corner model from level 1 or only coach one side when your team are having a small sided game in training like in level 2? The truth is, you are not. There are plenty of useful aspects of the FA qualifications, I am in no way belittling them. I am making the comparison because; did the four corner model, only coaching one team and hand picking the amount of players you wish to conduct your session with make you the coach you are today or was it the experience you gained at your club since? Similarly, was it driving with your hands at 10 and 2 o’clock that made you the driver you are today or was it the experience you gained on the roads since? When I passed the level 2 course, being the youngest on the course, successfully with relative ease, I thought there was nothing to it! Then, as I entered the real world of coaching, it was very, very different. Not all the players understand the coaching points you are putting across like they did last FA Pitch Improvement Programme Supporting Maintenance of Natural Turf Pitches As part of the FA’s recent announcement regarding the new National Game Strategy and investment into better facilities, Birmingham County FA are delighted to launch the Pitch Improvement Programme (PIP). In conjunction with the Institute of Groundsmenship (IOG) we are offering a service to grassroots football clubs to support the maintenance and development of natural turf pitches. detailing what is required to manage, maintain and develop your pitch’(s)
You will receive a 2nd visit from the IOG regional Pitch Advisor at a later date to monitor progress made week on your coaching course. Not all the players listen and are motivated to learn like they did last week on your coaching course. You haven’t got 12 players to do a nice and pretty short passing session, you’ve got 19 players and 7 footballs and you’ve got to adapt and change your session within the next five minutes. Yes, the majority of what you were taught on the course was useful but a qualification cannot prepare you for the reality of coaching like experience can. Driving is the same. The majority of the things you have been taught on the way to passing your test are vital. But your driving instructor can’t teach you what experience can. I think by now you can see how and why I’ve compared the two. The message really being: a certificate is not always everything but they are something you do need. Coaching, like driving, requires you to learn every day. Every time you step out on the field to coach you’re going to learn something. Whether you’ve got an A Licence or FA level 1. Never settle for what you already know. If you have any questions please contact Olly: [email protected] Read more at http://www.birminghamfa.com/news/2 015/aug/fa-pitch-improvementprogramme#7ra8XgDGbG78UQJr.99 Cost Process Subsidised rate of £50 (covers both visits) which needs to be paid to BCFA before your visit takes place.
Complete the PIP EOI form and return to [email protected]
You will be contacted by either BCFA or the IOG Regional Pitch Advisor to arrange a pitch visit
After the visit you will receive a report Deadline to return your completed EOI for the 15/16 season is Wednesday 30th September. September 2015 13