thought of the day 'football is my vehicle' or 'football is ourvehicle?'

@AmbeRoseW: @sarahnickless thought of the day 'football is my vehicle' or 'football is our vehicle?'

 A question posed to me on social media this week, to make the connection, this is the title of my blog site. The thoughts coming for it I though were worth sharing. 

Good question this, I've taken some time to think about it.

 A few years ago I made a claim that, 'football isn't a vehicle, most people are already there, they just need help knowing which was to turn.' I don't think I could have been much further from the truth.

Throughout my reasoning for joining the game, 10 years this month since I started playing, it's always queued back to my parents splitting up, as Kieren Laverick tweeted earlier this week, it's a distraction to everyday struggles, which it was.. And still is. I guess that's why I'm so emotionally attached to the game, because of how it's helped, and continues to do so. But now I'm the one providing the distraction for kids who are going through similar stuff I went through.. now at the point where we've fallen in love with the game, or rather fallen in love with the many feelings, opportunities and benefits which comes with it.

I started my blog because i realised I was/ am on a journey, cliche, and a very special one - I know that much at least. I know that not everyone will get to do the things I've done, go to the events I've been to, meet the people I've met, seen things through my eyes.. the blog is a chance to portray my learning and kind of recycle it to support and help others. Yeah I hope it's a nice read, but the whole purpose is to support others, share my learning with others, I don't get the interaction with it which I'd maybe like, the like on Facebook, retweet on twitter publicity of readers yes, but there isn't a challenge to my thinking, someone offering another view. Which I guess would contradict the reason for it's existence.

The blog is a showcase of why football is my vehicle, even though it transports us all. For different reasons, needs, desires and wants. Yes it's our vehicle, at times maybe a video game, with different levels and characters, but that's another train of thought.

 For the purpose of the blog, football is our vehicle, but the content of the blog is mine.

 Even though it transports us all, and in the same direction, the similarities stop there. Speed, motion, method all vary which is the beauty of it.

Your vehicle is different to mine and my journey will be different to you too... along with the way I want to drive my vehicle, how fast I want to go, if I want to stop half way, if I want to stay at one pace or change speeds at different points in my journey. Everything is different, but at the end of it, its my decisions which 'drive' the vehicle and my choices as to which vehicle and journey I want to be on. Reply from Amber. 

To quote a favourite movie of mine [The Polar Express] 'That's the thing about trains, it doesn't matter where it's going. What matters is deciding to get on.' Might not always be on a train, might jump on a steam train, boat, car, tank.. your journey will have allowed to use them all at some point, now you'll know when to hop on a plane when on autopilot doing something you know well, when to be in a tank, either battering something or just moving a little slower.

As another quote I found last year says, and I need to remember, 'don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.' In the same way, comparing why and how you do something compared to someone else. I've done this too often, and have been told off for it. 

The uniqueness of everyone's journey through the same 'vehicle' is something quite amazing.

Reaffirming Thoughts

This week has reaffirmed everything already thought to be right. Right in a sense of why I do what I do, gallivant across the country and spend time with lots of different people. It may not be a paid profession, but meeting and working with people has very quickly become a passion of mine, it just so happens that I get to do that through football. 

It's been a weird week, football has provided me with 2 compellingly opposite feelings, one of hate and frustration, the other of inspiration and drive. I guess that's the fun of the game, and the unpredictability of it on a pitch not just off it. Last week I made the decision to leaving my university activator role, quite simply because I wasn't enjoying it, being in a position under scrutiny and it genuinely felt horrendous being in the position I was. 

On the flip side, this week, visiting 2 County FA Football Futures Events, presenting our first Youth Onside Award, visiting a football club working wonders, email discussions, everything which I enjoy. I don't want to use this blog post to describe everything which happened at each place but rather the key points which as the title states, re-affirms everything which I know to be right.

West Riding on Wednesday, I thought the day would be a disaster after a rock hit and cracked my windscreen on the way across, but that wasn't to be. Meeting with old friends and watching a new generation of young leaders learning and leading. Fantastic to see how much people have developed since National Camp last year, so much so to drive forwards and lead on 3 Football Futures Camps of their own. And I guess, that's what it's all about, using football to develop people. For me, once we recognise this, the progress increases more so than the feeling of developing referees and coaches.. It's it so much more than that. 

I didn't go to West Riding to steal ideas, I wasn't banking on anything to take away, but what I did get was the day with friends I've made throughout the programme, the chance to see young leaders further down the line who are passionate about developing the next bunch of young leaders and doing just that. 

For me, Bobby Madley's session, built around refereeing encompasses everything about the programme, yes the young leaders had a go at refereeing, the aim wasn't to get them to sign up to go on the next referees course. It was to develop confidence in making decisions, to have a deeper understanding and potentially change in perceptions of referees. As he quoted from Henry Ford, 'Whether your think you can or you can't, you're right.' Have confidence in yourself and put yourself in the set mind that you can do what you want to do.

Manchester on Thursday, being asked to attend as the 'guest of honour.' What a privilege, I don't think I will ever live up to the title of guest of honour, but I tried. Again, it was a day with friends who I've met across my time on the Football Futures Programme, people who are influencing others and now making a difference in their counties. 45 young leaders turned up for the day despite the weather, all who are on the FF programme, places for National Camp and mentorships were put on offer at the start of the day. The importance of the event really shown as all members of Manchester CFA were introduced and played some part in the day. 

For me, I didn't really know what I was meant to be doing, I guess I find it difficult finding a role in an event which isn't mine. It was a pleasure to see the youth council take hold of the afternoon session and deliver, as it should be, young people influencing and empowering other young people. There was 1 moment which made my day though, and that's all it takes. One major thing Football Futures has taught me is how important it is just to listen to people and make them feel valued. I spent lunch talking  to a lad who at 15 is already very busy and looking ahead to his future, wanting to coach and work with people. Already regularly working with an FA Skills Coach, waiting for his 16th birthday to do his level 1, with ambitions then of rushing on doing his level 2 and youth module 1&2. I spent maybe 15 minutes speaking to him and didn't think an awful lot of it, just sharing my opinion of not rushing into loads of FA courses taking his time, using what is learnt and watching other coaches at the level he wants to get to. 

As I was leaving the CFA that afternoon, I stopped by, shook his hand and congratulated him for what he's done and effort on the day, his response was magical. A lit up face and more thank yous than Santa gets at Christmas. Thank you for inspiring, mentoring and helping him. All is did was show an interest, listen, offer advice and try to build a bit of a relationship. That's all it takes. If that's it, to keeping people going, influencing them and pushing them to keep on doing what they're doing, then we should all be looking to master our interpersonal skills to develop others. 

Friday back at Lancashire FA, presenting our first Youth Onside Award, the Youth Onside project was launched to influence clubs and leagues to realise it's young people who play the game and it's them who should have a say in how it is run. After 5-6 months of the programme running we have 11 clubs working towards Youth Onside status, and are close to getting our first league on board. 2 clubs have now been given the Youth Onside Award for their work to create Junior Committees, to not only create them but sustain and listen to them and put ideas into action. 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting Layton Juniors FC the first award, it was great to meet the people behind the work and the young people who are making a difference. The work of the Lancashire FA Youth Council is starting to pay off, now we've got to keep the momentum going and influence a change in culture across grassroots football in Lancashire! 

Finally, my half term tour led me to Bolton to see AFC Masters in a action, a football club created not so long ago to allow players of all ages with disabilities an opportunity to play football. I had a fantastic morning watching the training sessions going ahead and joining in. Not only are the guys playing, but also have the chance to lead of parts of sessions and older players coach and support young age groups. A club really driving what we're aiming to achieve, driven by young people and their needs.

So, quite a week. I've had a lot of fun and taken great pleasure in seeing counties at work and seeing young people in action. I've not really done a lot, but really starting to take note of why it all started. Football is such a fantastic vehicle, and I think sometimes we forget to see it this way. I've seen personal development left, right and centre all through the week. I get the fortune of working and influencing people to have opportunities like I've had and I know there are so many other people doing the same. 

As Jack Whitlam said on Wednesday, 'The journey of 1,000 miles begins with 1 step, you don't want to run in the wrong direction though.' A very correct thought, which sums up everyone's journey. The most difficult thing is to begin, pass that hurdle and the journey can really start

In 3 years time..

After downloading the Timehop app I've had a lot of memories brought back to life which have really allowed me to evaluate where I've come from and where I'm going.

3 years ago today I had a double road trip, firstly to Owestry Orthopedic Hospital to see a specialit physio about my knee, then raced to Loughborough for my first ever coaching event, the Youth Sport Trust, National Young Coaches Academy. 3 days with 180 other young coaches who were just starting out on their journey. I was 1 of 20 coaches representing the FA. My first real event, I remember being scared and worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up, or would be starting way behind everyone else. That turned out not to be the case, managing to keep up, being a 'keeno' asking loads of questions and starting to realise how big of a job coaching is, the amount of skills it involved and develops and quite importantly, how many other people were getting the buzz from it also. I walked away from that event with an award, but the reward of just being there, meeting some incredible people and having the enthusiasm to learn and continue to do so meant a lot more!

2 years ago I was supporting 2 county FAs (Shropshire & Lancashire) with their Football Futures/ Young Leadership events. Going from a young leader attending the events to learn and develop, to now supporting them and delivering parts of workshops. Holding an ambassador role on the day, asking questions and trying to probe answers out of people, using my experience to develop and support others. 

This time last year I was on the other side of the world in Rwanda with The FA delivering the FA Changing Lives Leadership Award. Putting into practice my coaching skills to mentor and support peer leaders in another country. Really testing the key communication and problem solving skills. Being selected as 1 of 4 young leaders to go out and deliver an international programme, working closely with 4 peer leaders, delivering in school and universities in physics, environments like no other. I'm still learning from the experience looking back and thinking about things, what I could have done differently and just the incredible memories of having such an experience. 

This year, this week, I'm attending 2 County FA FF Camps, one being in Manchester where I have supported the working group creating the event, seeing it come to life from behind the scenes. On Friday we are presenting our first Youth Onside Award at Lancashire FA, recognising a club who have created a junior committee to allow young people at the club to be heard. Now I'm having a bigger hand in football development work. 

All the while I've been developing the skills learnt from the first NYCA camp, transferring them from place to place which has led me to where I am now, with the contacts and friends I have across the country. Goodness knows what will happen over the next 3 years, but I hope it's as exciting as the last 3 have been!