[September 2011] Leading straight off from the last post, my second year of college started with disappointment, I was still not playing football or any sport. However, I had a wonderful time at Oswestry Hosptial and with an MRI machine! I was the class ref for volleyball, that's as close as I got to play sport at college.
In terms of volunteering, the season started off really well. I had completed my football referee's course and passed. I felt more involved with AFC Telford United Ladies, and new events were thrown at me as soon as I arrived back at college. FFT meetings, Disability Courses, Team19 and news of a brand new 3rd generation facility being built.
Before any of this came the turning point of the season, in September, I was nominated for The FA Coach Scholarship Programme, I was successful and awarded a place on the programme. This involved a mentor, the opportunity to got to numerous events, and improve as a coach. It seemed all of the hard work and hours put in were worth while, and recognised. This opened up a new chapter in my voluntary life. I became a part of Wrekin Juniors Under 11 Girls FC, a team which I think I had a huge impact on, but they also impacted upon me. They enabled me to become a better coach and look at football in a different light. I wasn't just a coach, I was a friend, a teacher and a role model.
Soon after finding out about the Scholarship programme, Team19 was being launch at TCAT (Telford College of Arts and Technology) I was heavily involved with the launch. I gave a speech about how football had influenced me so far. I helped run the whole event and looked over the female side to the opening Team19 event.
In early February [2012] I saw another physio about my knees, this was very positive and I couldn't wait to implement the new exercises. On that same day I travelled to Loughborough Univeristy to be a part of the first ever Youth Sport Trust, National Young Coaches Academy. I was 1 of 20 coaches representing the FA, with 120 other young people representing other sports. The academy was a great success, an amazing learning environment was created so that a mass amount of learning could take place. I came away as 1 of 6 award winner, I gained the 'Organisation Award' for being a positive thinker and reflectr over the 3 day event.
I attended other CPD events over the course of the season, 1 in Swindon with the Scholarship Programme for 2 days. In service events run by Shropshire FA. And I completed the FA Youth Module 1 Award.
By this point the new 3rd Generation sports facility was ready to be opened. Another event which I was involved in, again delivering a speech, running the female event and then closing down the event.
In this part of the blog, I have only given you a few of the events and activities which I was involvd within. I also worked at the Shropshire Olympian Festival, The Shropshire School Games and I'd become a sports maker. This is around May of 2012, I left college with 3 Distinction* [D*D*D*] and an offer from the University of Central Lancashire. Events were already being lined up for the summer. My level 2 coaching course, The FA Football Futures Camp and preparationf for Septmber 2012 for my volunteering to continue in Preston.
Before I unveil my Football Futures Camp blog I want to show how football can give a good and bad side to confidence and improving me as a person. Following the first week of my Level 2, I asked to be taken off the course. This was a week that I really want to try and forget. A week of football which had a detromental affect on my confidence, and opinions of myself as a coach. Clearly I wasn't prepared to be shouted out for a week, to feel smaller than a paper clip. Although I've had many positives within football, it seems that the negatives have been pretty big.
No comments:
Post a Comment