Your Kite

I recently watched a video by Kid President (link at the bottom) this video ended up being shown during the closing ceremony of The FA's National Football Futures Camp 2014. Out of a 4+ minute video, there were 2 sentences which stood out and completely relate to our journeys within the football futures programme...

'Some days your kite will fly high, some days it gets stuck in the tree, it's just how it is here.'

From my point of view, if you buy a kite you might as well use it. Just as having ideas and thoughts, you might as well try them. Some days ideas work, they just click and it feels amazing! You have to relish those moments of success, because that's what we live for - seeing things fall into place. Enjoying the ride, seeing how high you can fly your kite.. surely that's the aim? Having an idea, seeing it work and then pushing it to see how far you can take it?!

Sometimes you hit a few bumps, have a few obstacles in your way. You do get stuck in the tree. It's your decision to leave your kite in the tree, or find a way to make it fly - whether that's climbing the tree, pulling it out or throwing something at it. As with anything, the destination might stay the same, but there is always more than one way to get there. You might just need to look at it from a different perspective, ask for help get another point of view. Just because you see something your way, that doesn't mean it's the right way. 

Occasionally your kite won't fly at all. You take it out of the box, piece it together but there's something not quite right. It might just be the weather. Whatever the weather, sometimes you've got to make your own sunshine. Believe in your ideas, take that crazy jump across the border of your comfort zone. The way to make your kite fly might come down to perseverance, keep going! It will happen! 

Don't ever let the lack of flying come down to a lack of trying! If you've got an idea try it! You might need help to get off the ground, that's ok! Teamwork helps to make the dream work! Your kite will never fly if you never try. It's great to have loads of ideas, what's not great is keeping them and not putting them into use. 

Piecing all of this together I've got an adapted version of the Kid President quote:

Some days your kite will fly high, some days it gets stuck in the tree, some days it doesn't fly at all. Don't let the lack of flying come down to a lack of trying.

Another favourite quote of mine from Rudy Ruettiger holds the line of, 'The journey will be full of struggle..' Every journey holds challenges, which I think helps to make the success more enjoyable '.. I learnt the greater the struggle the greater the victory.'

Ever noticed that a kite flies better when you throw it into the wind? Throwing it in the right direction helps, of course. The more resistance the more the challenge to keep it under control! But that's all  part of the fun! Turning this ways, and that, running around a field letting your ideas carve the way.. how fantastic! Although it's nice to stand in the sun, all you'll get is a suntan. Go out in the wind, let your ideas free and enjoy the ride. 

Only reign yourself in when things might get out of hand. Control the controllables, turn in a different direction, fly higher maybe take the path less travelled. 

Let the only time you pull down your kite be home time, remember, there's always tomorrow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5-EwrhsMzY 

#FFCamp14

2 years after attending The National Football Futures Camp as a young leader I returned, this time as part of the National Game Youth Council running the event. I had apprehensions that the experience might not be as good as 2 years ago, or that I might let team down.. I was nervous.. But nerves are good, they mean you care right?! 

The FA National Football Futures Camp allows 100 young leaders the opportunity to attend a 4 day camp, nominated by their counties young leaders are sent following their commitment to the FF programme, personal development and will to progress football in their communities. The Camp is built up on 2 days of 5 generic workshops then 2 days of specialist workshops - coaching, refereeing or football development. 

I want to avoid repeating my 'Leader Life, Leader Legacy ' post from 2 years ago, but with an older brain, experienced body and brighter eyes this will be a set of new thoughts from a sensational experience, which has been 5 of the best days of my life - no exaggeration this time. 

The Sunday prior to Camp, The National Game Youth Council (NGYC), National Staff and Young Leader Mentors (YLMs) all met up for a day of training, to get to know each other and iron out any problems before camp started. I think this prep day allowed all involved to start to connect, start to develop the team for the week. Meeting new people is great, working with people who I haven't met before, gaining new ideas and I'd like to think new friends. 

Monday 21st July 2014, 85 young leaders descended upon St. George's Park. Young leaders were greeted by the NGYC who couldn't wait to give them a name sticker, take their bags and get into ice breakers. YLMs took the lead on ice breakers and looking after YLs as the final preparations were made for the opening ceremony. My nerves had settled, now just full of excitement. 

For the first time in FF history the opening ceremony was opened with a Brazilian themed dance/ music routine, something really different! Michael Ryan then stepped up and delivered an opening speech which really captured the hearts of everyone in the room, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step.. this is your first step.' With a little help from Kid President [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o ], Lauren O'Sullivan and Luke Baker, The FA National Football Futures Camp 2014 had well and truly begun. 

Over Monday and Tuesday our Young Leaders were in 5 generic workshops of coaching, informal football, promoting the game, refereeing and disability football. I was with the amazing group 3 starting off with refereeing being led by Steve Bratt, Anthony Taylor and Mary Harmer - shout out for Mary who was a young leader at camp last year, proving the wonders of Football Futures by returning and tutoring this year!

We started off with a boys table, girls table and staff table.. ooh how things would change. I jumped into the mix with young leaders, brimming with enthusiasm trying to draw people out of their shells. 

Within the workshop, young leaders looked at the qualities of a referee, and attempted to draw them.. some odd shaped referees out there! We then went through yellow and red card decisions, offsides and a little bit of confrontation. Before heading outside and putting this into practice. Having the modern use of technology offside decisions were videoed and then reviewed. Borderline penalty decisions were looked at, before a bit of confrontation. 

A game which I hadn't seen before but looked pretty good. 1 referee in the middle, everyone around them in a circle. The guys on the outside were to walk into the referee, and 1 person touch the ref, it was then the referee's decision to decide who touched them. With so many people around, and being unable to move it showcased just how difficult it is to make decisions. 

Our second workshop was disability football delivered by James Watkins, Lauren Asquith, Dave Tweed and Mickey Chambers. A different spin on your typical disability session, looking directly at amputee football. Dave and Mickey are both international players for the Great British Amputee football team. 

If anything the session made me feel a little inadequate, seeing Dave and Mickey playing was incredible. Even with the loss of a limb they can still play their sports to an amazingly high level. It's made me think, what can I do more? How can I progress further?
I had a lot of fun playing amputee football, scoring a volley being the highlight, falling over twice summing up my ability, or lack of. Key messages from James, how can we help to raise the profile of amputee football, can we become scouts and create pathways for people to get involved? The future of the game is only bright if we allow it to be. 

Just before tea, we had reflection time - my favourite part of camp when I attended 2 years ago and I don't think that things have changed. Linking up with Rhea West fro Hampshire FA, we seemed to have our work cut out with minimal speaking, people in their shells and not sure of what to say. But it was a start, goals set and tasks for the following day gave us something to work off.

A fantastic first 2 workshops which had Camp buzzing, friendships were already being formed, banter was flying around and the table tennis table was the place to be. I didn't get chance to eat Monday night because I was preparing for the evening activities.

Myself and Jord Guttridge ran The Road to Rio, and fun and interactive evening which has a huge underlying objective of getting Young Leaders to interact, work together and get to know each other. 

I'm a firm believer of, if you want people to move out of their comfort zones then you have to be prepared to do so yourself. To begin the evening I sang [badly] in-front of the entire camp, something which I wouldn't dream of ever doing, dressed as a tourist just hours after meeting everyone I was on the front line. Luckily I got the right outcome, a number of laughs and I think that helped to relax everyone; to have a result of, 'If Sarah can sing in front of everyone, then I can do something similar.' 

The evening was split into 2, the first task was for each group to create a welcoming routine for their country, which would last 30 seconds, everyone to be included and represent that country. We had some very different ideas, but it was great to see everyone involved.

Task 2, create a new national sport! The game must be brand new, inclusive for at least 8 players and fun. We had the invention of Neymar Kneelers, Ivory Post and a Wheel barrow assault course. All of which took place indoors, minimal kit used but ended up being a lot of fun.

Personally, it was class to have put the evening together and then get the response we did.I loved every minute, watching young leaders work together, mix with others and really fulfilling what Football Futures is all about.

•     

Day 2

Waking up at 6.30am to make sure I was first to breakfast, as I'm not a morning person, this was a task in itself, but getting to sit with our young leaders made it worthwhile. 

The sun was out as we went to our first workshop of the day, informal football led by Matt Jones and John Prince. Looking at what initiatives there currently are for young people in football, Mash Ups, Team 16, Team 19, Team 23 and Mars Just Play - already we have a number of informal football offers which young people can tap into. 

The session was mainly based around the Football Mash Up programme, what games are played at the moment; empty the net, scenarios, 5 goals 5 ways.. but what games could our young leaders come up with? It turns out that the Mash Up was mashed up to create something new. Small sided games were created which were inclusive, fun and corresponded with the game itself. 

Staying outside we went into session 2 , 5-11 coaching led by Skills Coaches - Zoe Rushden and James Lofthouse. The aim of the session was to give an introduction to coaching, how could you tier a session that starts of basic and finishes off just like the game. It was interesting to see different coaches work, how did they embed individual challenges, how were the strugglers and strivers challenged? 

The task of the young leaders was to create their own sessions, how could they create a game which could be adapted for everyone to be able to be challenged, so that everyone could enjoy?

I didn't get to see the result of the games which were created, I was in a 1-1 meeting discussing my time on the NGYC so far amongst other agenda items.

The final generic workshop for group 3 was promoting the game, run by Adrian Eyre and Keith Daniel from TMG. Always an eye opening workshop, realising just how many roles there are behind a camera, how many people are needed just to create a small amount of footage. When trying to create a news piece, who do you need?

Task for the afternoon, create a 3 minute piece which is about Football Futures. A very open task, which could have gone in any direction but in fact the 2 groups came up with something similar. Even I was involved as a guest on a chat show!

In a short space of time clips were created, with sign holder, creators, weather men, presenters, guests, script writers, floor directors, time keepers and all sorts! For a last workshop was group 3, we had a lot of fun and I think it surprised a number of people as to how much fun promoting the game can be.

Rolling into reflection time, it was over to the young leaders who played a game of 2 truths and a lie, they wanted to get to know each other more and it worked really well. A very interactive activity which got everyone talking. Followed by an interview task we looked at how we got into Football Futures and some of the things we've done. Compared to day 1 with no-one talking, this session was unbelievable. Everyone interacting talking like they had known each other for ages! Proud moment right there!

Evening activities  - The launch of The Football Futures Alumni! A brand new programme for previous young leaders to get involved, re-connect, give back and continue their Football Futures Journey. We had our 5 founding members around for the evening delivering the workshops: Matt Dandy, Lauren O' Sullivan, Laura Danskin, Prathiv Kholia and Ted Grizzell. The evenign was led by Lauren Asquith and Matt Dandy.

Broken into 2 workshops we had, employability skills and promoting the Alumni. The employability skills looked at what behaviours do employers look for? What is important, how can we promote ourselves and write applications effectively? 

In the other workshop we had a look at the benefits of the Alumni Programme, why should it be created? The task was to create a 30 second video promoting the programme and it's benefits. 

Finishing with a Q & A with out founding members, the Alumni was launched, now to watch it grow. The key messages to come from our founding members were:

Ted Grizzell - Be different of be better.

Prathiv Kholia - Find yourself a mentor and reflect on your opportunities.

Laura Danskin - You're never to young to guide others.

•   

Day 3

Back up early for the breakfast club!

The start of the specialist workshops, we had coaching with Matt Craddock, Stephen Healy and Dan Greenhough and Refereeing with Marc Birkett and Roger Vaughan.

I was with the Football Development guys led by Karl Lines - CEO of British Colleges Sport and Brian Goodwin National Development Officer from English Colleges FA. 

The workshop started with the question, What if? 

Dare yourself to dream about what you could do to develop football in you community, county or even in the country. What is it that you could do? What is your dream? How are you going to get there?

First job for the day - write down your dream. Sky is the limit - where do you want to go? What do you want to do?

After looking at the launch of Team 19, the group were then told they would be delivering a festival to the whole camp Thursday afternoon, a daunting task? Not for our fearless young leaders who were pumped on adrenalin after sharing their favourite moments. 

We first had to decide our vision and values, something thought to be easy.. but it wasn't. After a staff intervention to try and decide the values, we didn't get any further. The young leaders got up and moved away from us to decide what they were going to have as their values and vision. 30 minutes later, they had made their decisions. 

Vision: Enjoyed by everyone, Remembered by All, Inspired by You. 

Values: Inspiration, Fun, Trust, Respect, Inclusive. 

With the values and vision sorted, the group could move onto thinking about what they festival could and should look like. What will happen? What off pitch activities will there be? What roles will people have?

Refining things down even further, what do we actually need, what will be used as our base to build off?

Final reflection session of the week, a quick run through of the week, thoughts on the day and what we have learnt during the week. An emotional time after working with the guys, seeing how much they've developed and knowing that Camp was drawing to a close.

Evening activities - the summer ball run by Kieren Laverick, Harry Organ and Lindsey Whitton. Everyone got their smart clothes on for our fund raising raffle, quiz and disco. A massive thank you to everyone who donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust, over £922 was raised on the night, which is huge. Spain won the quiz, before we all tried to throw some shapes on the dance floor. A fantastic evening, 85 young leaders who hadn't met each other on Monday were partying hard by Thursday. A personal highlight, leading the dance routine to my favourite disco song - Reach by S Club 7.. it's fair to say I smashed it!

A top evening of selfies, bad dancing and emotions. Twitter erupted after we finished, the tweets were fantastic to read.

•  

Day 4

Again I was up early, staying true to form. Already I was filling up with emotion, last day blues. 

I started off in the development workshop, their first job for the day was to create their roles for their festival.. another team circle with no adults! The group were split into task groups which also had a senior management team who were to over see the event. 

With the planning from the day before, the team headed down to the futsal hall to start setting up for the event, goals were moved, signs were made, prizes were out, banners constructed - everything seemed to fall into place. It was amazing to watch the guys setting things up, taking control of their own event.. really showing the power of young people.

A quick lunch followed by final preparations, the festival was ready to go. There was a cross bar challenge corner, mash up pitch, 2 competition pitches, selfie competition and comments walls. Everything was going on, young leaders signed in and the afternoon got cracking. 

Being able to sit back and just enjoy the festival was incredible, just thinking through the week, thinking of individual personal journeys.. I must have looked like the Cheshire Cat with a stupid smile across my face, but it really was a pleasure to watch and be a part of.

Only 1 thing left, the closing ceremony. Delivered by Lauren Asquith and Dan Leggett, we heard from Steve Swallow and Adam Herczeg - key messages of what next? Don't be scared to take that first step even if you cant see the whole stair case. Some things will go really well other things wont, it's now up to you guys as young leaders to take ownership of your journey and what happens in your communities.

I ended up in tears, but I was told that shows how much you care. An emotional week, overwhelming to have been a part of it all and have to power to influence others.

'You don't have to be pushed to grow. A plant grows through the right elements, not by being pulled out of the ground.' Sarah Nickless, FFCamp 2014

#FFCampHighlights

There aren't many things I'd give up a week of my holiday for, but National Camp is one of them. An 8 hour journey from the Isle of Wight to St. George's Park, to give up a week of sun and relaxing for inspiring and empowering, correct decision made.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Football Futures is just another football thing, you volunteer lots of hours and hear nothing back.. well that's not the case. 20,000 young volunteers have progressed through the programme and I'm fortunate enough to be one of them. 

Football Futures has changed my life, and is changing the lives of others in so many different ways. Knowing how much FF means to me, it has been immense for me to be a part of FFCamp this year to be a part of many other personal journeys. 

I went to camp with my own little book of goals, thoughts about what I wanted to achieve and an imagination of what ifs?! As i've learnt this week, crazy things can happen if you allow yourself the opportunity to dream. My goals were all built around enjoying myself, not dwelling on minor issues, delivering a camp to highest standard possible both individually and as a team and finally to enhance my own and the NGYC's children and young people network. 

It's easy to rock up with a book of goals, it's another to execute them and get so much more.

Delivering Road to Rio, pushing myself well out of my comfort zone, what an experience?! The weird thing is, how enjoyable it was. I wasn't too nervous about it, I just got on with it, then cracked on with the evening. An evening which hit all aims, and the results were pretty conclusive come Tuesday morning when all young leaders were chatty, making links and coming well out of their shells. 

Getting the chance to work closely with incredible young people, and be a part of their own journey. I know how much I value people, especially those who want to help, take time to listen and genuinely care. I hope that I got that across, because it was a real pleasure to work with like minded people and try to influence them positively. 

I've spent the week being myself, just Sarah. Might be a little bit excitable and enthusiastic at times. But I've allowed myself the opportunity to relax, which has in turn allowed others to do the same. Sure I've got a pretty poor and dry sense of humour, but that's just the character I am. I hope that Camp has allowed others to be themselves, to develop their personality and the opportunity to enjoy themselves. 

The response has been overwhelming, being asked questions, being needed and valued - the reason why I got a bit emotional at the closing ceremony. It's humbling to have been able to help people on their journey. To see people progress and develop is something which I can't really word, again very humbling to be a part of.

To have been a part of the delivery team of NGYC and Young Leader Mentors has been truly amazing. I'd like to think I've made lifelong friends. Looking around at the NGYC at our summer ball, and I was thinking - how have I managed to get into this position? What a team we have!

I've been inspired by our team of YLMs, NGYC, national staff and most importantly our young leaders. They've given me ideas which I can use, I am so excited about the coming months and how I can work with my region to develop the voice which we all have the power of using. 

Having role models and people who inspire you is always a positive, but I can't ever express how fantastic it is that all of my role models can be found either in my phone or email contacts. People who I can ask for help, ask those silly question and just enjoy myself with. Mad to think that we're just people, trying to help other people be the best that they can be. 

National Camp is about developing young leaders in their area of interest, but it's also about developing them as people.. 'And that's all it is, that's what the programmes about..people, and taking those people to their highest potential, their summit.' Amber Wildgust 

A final outcome from #FFCamp14, I have accepted the offer to be a part of British Universities and College Sport's [BUCS] National football student management group next season - another challenge!

A huge thank you to:

The National Game Youth Council:
Lauren O'Sullivan, Kieren Laverick, Adam Herczeg, Jack Patmore, Jazz Hervin, Harry Organ, Lindsey Whitton, Dan Leggett, Lauren Asquith, Matt Dandy, Michael Ryan, Luke Baker and Jordan Guttridge.

National Staff:
Donna McIvor, Steve Swallow, John Heathcote and Sharon Muxworthy.

Greg Lambert - National Staff / National Game Youth Council.

Young Leader Mentors:
Marc Di Carlo, David Ebberson, Matt Prosser, Tina Reed, James Shiplee, Danny Hickinbottom, Kathryn Hall, Pete Collins, Rhea West, Emily Hill, Sarah Cummings, Andy Coles, Steve Tanner, Ollie Williams and Julia Ladbrooke.

Our 85 young leaders, go and be the change you want to see in the world, because you're more capable than you think. 

'Sometimes we face a different kind of blindness. We don't see what we're capable of because we don't see our own possibilities.' Sir Ken Robinson.

For Erin Bates, an inspiration to many, remembered by all.

BUCS Football Futures Conference 2014

From July 1st-3rd BUCS took over Warwick University for the University Football Activator Inductions and then their Football Futures conference. 

I'm going to leave out the activator inductions and skip across to the conference. So, I originally booked onto the conference, selecting my workshops and FA course looking forwards to being a delegate at an event. Well that was short lived, just a week before the event I offered to help out and be a part of the BUCS Student Management Group [SMG] for the event and things soon changed. 

I was a bag of excitement prior to any delegates arriving, looking forwards to catching up with old friends from National Camp 2 years ago, seeing tutors and workshop leads who I haven't seen for a while - and just being a part of the event.

The SMG finished off and ran through the opening presentations before anyone arrived, making sure we all knew our lines, jokes and messages. Rooms were set up and tutors started arriving. I think we were ready! Like any Football Futures event, it was run by young people, for young people - and this one was no different.

Day 1 of the conference involved a number of workshop including media, sports science, futsal refereeing pathways, setting up a football business, life after university, football Mash Up and Street Games. Delegates got the choice of 3 of these workshops.

The first workshop I was in was around Sports Science delivered by John Brewer, a professor from the University of Bedfordshire, the workshop looked at the differences between technology in football today compared to 1988. How things have changed! There is so much more player analysis and technology to improve player performance. The question is, has this technology and sports science actually made a difference. If we look at outcomes, England got further in the 1988 World Cup with minimal technology, compared to this year not even getting out of the group! The question to the group was, what will sports science look like at the 2038 World Cup? Some mad answers came up, performance analysis will have made it to grassroots football, possible drugs which can improve players, micro-chips within players to track performance even closer. I think that sports science will go full circle, by the time we get to 2038 there will be less technology, just a couple of necessary things. The world will come to realise how much technology we have and don't need!
The only negative to come out of the workshop was that John was the person who created the 'bleep' test, or multi-stage fitness test. Now I know who to blame so many depressing PE lessons on at school!

We then had lunch! A great time for me to catch up with some old friends, share stories and have a right old laugh... #TeamSarah2

Being the model students, the SMG left lunch early to make sure everything was set up for the afternoon, so much so, all delegates were sat down in their workshop before the session leads had found the right building. 

I was sat in with Ted Grizzell who delivered a session around creating a football business. Ted has progressed through the Football Futures Programme, and is now managing director of ZigZag Coaching and sporting director of Malvern Town FC. Sitting in 2 executive positions, it would be hard to believe that Ted's like for business started when he was a school boy, setting up a sweets shop based in his own locker.
Ted went through some of the processes he has taken to get his business to where it is. The thing with starting up a business is you need an idea and the resources to do so, it's not something which can happen over night.

4 questions / points of starting a business which Ted put together were:
1. It starts with an idea, which can be limitless, raw and without any real direction.
2. To take this idea forward, what skills do you have?
3. Who can help? You cant do it all alone, and to be a success you need to invest in the right partners.
4. Where is the demand?

A key line which was used during the presentation was 'Be different or be better.' I think that hits any walk of life, but especially when starting up a business. Why will someone go to you, and not the next person along? What makes you different? Why are you better?

My final workshop of the day was with Selena Creighton looking at life after uni. A workshop of which I wasn't sure what to expect. A key part of the workshop was around 'being visible.' I don't mean wearing high-vis jackets, but on social media. You are your own brand, what is it that you're portraying.
The first task was to describe our own brand with the 6 words, skills, qualities which we would want to be giving. I struggled to get to 6 and ended up with 5 words - approachable, trustworthy, reliable, realistic and experienced. I'd like to think those are words which I do portray in everyday life, but after uni, when applying for jobs, how do you prove that? What ways do employers use to find out about possible employees? The answer, social media.
Sometimes we don't think about the person we are showing through social media, is the on-screen character, the same as the person behind the screen? For those up to the challenge, we loaded up our Facebook profiles and passed the device onto someone else. It was for them to decide whether or not our profile pages paralleled the 6 words we associated with our brand. I had no idea this task was coming, but it turned out that my words were true.

Maybe that was luck. But it showed us to be visible for the right reasons. What do you want other people to see and think about you? Looking at the image of the triangle on the left, you can see I have split it into 3 areas. The top part of the triangle is what is visible, your behaviours, what you're seen to be doing. The middle part, your technical competencies, the skills you have and can perform, they aren't always on show, some are depending upon the situation. And then at the bottom, the largest part but the least visible to the naked eye, your personal characteristics. However much these are the most important part of you being you, you cant how them through a pictures or what you do on the social media platform. It is these behaviours which are the key area. You have to be careful of what you are portraying because of who is watching. Your social media profile soon becomes the real you for people who don't know you.. what do you want to be seen as?

To end the day was our key note speaker, Stuart Attwell. A football league referee with premier league and international experience. It was my job to introduce him. Stuart spoke about how being a referee can help to increase the chances of you being employable, the transferable skills which have help him along the way.

I cant really comment on the presentation as I was in a discussion outside. Having a catch up with Ted, reminiscing in Football Futures memories and some which will be coming in the near future!

Following a game of dodge-ball and tea, there was a table tennis tournament. I did what I do best, sat on my laptop doing work. But it was so enjoyable to sit talking with new people, hearing their stories and what they get up to.

•   

Day 2!

Another early start for the SMG, checking out and then arriving into breakfast early. Hopes of a full food hall were diminished, as the odd trickle of students fell through the door... however they all made it our of bed and on time to their courses. Classrooms were soon filled up with resources and flipchart paper and our tutors! The 4 FA courses running were, A beginners guide to futsal - run by Karl Lines, Coaching Disabled Footballers - run by Pete Collins, Small sided refereeing - run by Marc Bikett and Mentoring Adults - run by John Heathcote.

Always fun when you know all of the tutors from previous events and experiences, I think that says a lot about my journey so far!

I was in the mentoring adults course with John. A course which I have done parts of at the Youth Sport Trust's National Young Coaches Academy. But as times change, so do you as an individual. So it was interesting to see how my thoughts had changed.

The primary theme of the course was around mentoring coaches. How can we look to be effective mentors? To begin with we discussed previous mentoring experiences we've had either a mentor or as a mentee. I'm fortunate to have been in both seats. Mentoring at the NYCA, in Rwanda and a few young leaders who have looked for help. But I have also been mentored, as a coach, when in Rwanda and with the National Youth Council.

Then came out the jigsaws, as a team we had to build our jigsaw. For every 10 pieces put in, we could write down a skill/quality which we think makes up an effective mentor. My team were first to build the puzzle, but we soon came stuck when nailing down specific qualities.

A lot of things come to down to personal preference, how do you like to learn, how do you like to be taught. We went through a task of looking through the window, and then looking into the mirror. Are we portraying the person which out club/ environment needs?

Further tasks involved watching video clips of a mentoring session, how they could work. The format of questioning and working from a broad spectrum into something quite narrow. We then watched a couple of coaching session and used an observation format to critique what we saw. This practiced worked us up to a bit of role play. Looking at how we'd mentor others. The route we would take to helping someone out.

The key points looked at being open, not cross armed and up tight, paying full attention to what's being said, having good eye contact and asking the right questions.

A technique of 'funnelling' came up. Starting off the conversation very open and broad, and then working your way into the specifics, which when working with a coach could be the next steps of future developments.

As John put it during the course, 'At the end of the day it's about working with people to get the best out of them.' Its about working together as a partnership, not against each other.

A day full of stories, working with new people and having run soon drew to a close we the closing ceremony followed.

My role was to go through the key learning points, which is quite difficult. Everyone will have taken something different from the 2 days. Nobody wanted to share their thoughts out loud, but from the conversations I've had - the 2 days certainly influenced and inspired an number of the delegates.

My key messages were, 'Be different or be better' as Ted said on day 1. And that Football Futures is all about people and helping them to be the best they can be. In that room were people from all over the country with different experiences, make the most of them.

To finish off a class 2 days we watched The Kid President and his Pep Talk video [link below] which perfectly pushes our key messages. Be awesome, make a difference and work hard to make a difference.

If I didn't think the event could get any better, Prathiv Kholia - BUCS Football Co-ordinator offered me a place to be on his SMG formally next season . After applying and not making it this season, the offer shows what can happen when you work hard and prove your worth. I'm still deciding, but I'm overwhelmed at the offer.

A fantastic experiences with some unbelievable people. Friendships which have developed over the 2 days, and a new look on delivering events.

Huge thank yous from me to Storma, Ollie Selfe, Heather Smith, Amy Clayfield, Pietro Palladino and Sarah Fulcher - Arnold. The dream team who worked incredibly hard to make the event what it was. To our tutors, who created a fantastic learning environment and have certainly positively influenced a whole cohort of students. And to the delegates who showed a top level of enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

I think we all need A Pep Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o

Why are you here? NGYC

6 months through the year, 6 months through my FA National Game Youth Council experience. My first ever experience of being a part of a youth council, and I'm loving every minute! The contact with counties, meeting new people, seeing the difference I'm making and now looking ahead to National Camp.

Attending meetings is always exciting, hearing how the team are getting on, the latest updates, catching up with friends, mentor meetings, planning and workshops which make you think. 

It's been confirmed that I am an elephant mixed with a dolphin (Nigel Risner - It's a Zoo Around Here) which has been reflected in my work. The time I take to do things, to make sure they are done properly. Spending time with counties who want help, looking to create strong rapports. 

I've come to learn, that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. So I'm hoping that nearly all of the counties within the North West have some kind of youth council/ management team by the end of the year. Hoping to play my part in hitting our overarching goal for Youth coverage across the country. It's also my role to maintain the current youth councils we have.

So far we've run the County Chairs training for those currently involved within a County FA set up. Delivering workshops which will benefit the Chairs and people who attended, and now create a legacy where Empowering Youth sessions can now be delivered within counties, leagues and clubs. 

The Football Legacy Programme and Fund is up and running, events have been delivered and a number are planned for the coming months. A programme which is allowing youth councils / management teams an opportunity to create their own programmes to then be delivered. 

Now we look ahead to National Camp. Just a few weeks away, the excitement is sky high and I can't wait to return to the camp as part of the NGYC after attending as a young leader 2 years ago. The comment has been made that this could be 'my moment', time to shine.. *jazz hands at the ready.* I'm looking forwards to being around the young leaders, working with individuals and trying to make the week a positive experience for all. The first night's activities have been planned by myself and Jord which is very exciting.

What I love more, National Camp 2012 was the best week of my life. I met some amazing people and have continued to build on the learning and developments made. As Camp benefitted me so much, I really want to make sure that this year Camp has the same effect on others. 

The NGYC constantly question my thinking and challenges how I'm doing things. The latest question I'm pondering is, why are you here? Why am I on the youth council? Why did I apply? To be honest, I applied off the back of Camp 2 years ago, seeing the difference in which the Youth Council could make to me, and wanting to be able to do the same. Since Camp 2012 this want to be involved has grown, and since being a part of the NGYC I've come to realise how prominent my passion is to be to able to influence and help others. At no point have I ever thought, ooh that'd be a good CV enhancer, ooh that might provide me with experience for a job. 

I'm on the NGYC because I want to be able to make a difference whilst being a part of a passionate group of young people who want the same. 

So far the experience has been everything I hoped for plus more. Questions are already being asked about next year, but for now, I've got plans to make, #FFCamp14 goals to write, workshops to deliver and youth councils to support. 

If you're not already, please get following @TheFaNYC and join in with the Camp build up and to keep an eye on the amazing thing which young people are doing in football.

Just a little Pep talk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o&feature=youtu.be

Do you get courage? Or the opportunity to be courageous?

I get a lot of stick for the emotional kid that I am, some of these blog posts prove that. Realising the morals and key features of the Football Futures Programme, what's important in life and why we're all teachers. I've come to realise how other things have really helped and put me in the place I am. 

Uni has taught me about socialisation, theories about how we act, react.. take opinions, revise them and reshape them. But sometimes there is a much deeper meaning behind it all. I constantly read on twitter, in books, in lectures about allowing people to be creative, to.. try things, experiment.. Never miss out on an opportunity to experiment is what someone said last year. All of this and I think, yeah great, the kids are trying Maradona turns, attempting a Neymar penalty run up and creating their own route around a football pitch.

I've done a lot of thinking, isn't this just the basis for life? I might be wrong. 

I've grown up with the freedom to make my own decisions, follow the muddy path that hasn't been travelled..  As long as it's the one I want. To follow my dreams, MY dreams. I've not been pushed into A levels, a degree which will guarantee a job because I don't want that. 

Making a decision requires courage, doesn't it? Or does choosing what you want, stem from courage? Possibly both. The courage to think past the draw backs which may follow, the possibility of being wrong.. even if there is just a glimmer of being right. Someone once said it's the journey, not the destination. So those courageous decisions may evolve into a fantastic journey of learning, but finish in defeat. Still the winner though, cause I've enjoyed the journey? 

Through my year 8 options, friends at school, college choices, football team, uni, and most importantly my dreams, I've had nothing but support from my parents and family. I'd say I've followed what appears to be right, going to to uni before heading out into the world, but no one said that's the only way. I've created my own pathway, defined by me and what I stand for, but shared with people who want me to succeed.. and if I don't, to have learnt along the way. 

I look to my Dad, the man who never fails to bring tears to me eyes when he tells me how proud he is of what I'm achieving. The man who told me to chase after my dreams, fill my life with what I enjoy - that's how you get rich. Rich on life. To my Mom who hates the fact I might not return home from uni, but can't wait to tell everyone what I'm doing and having those 'proud Mom' moments. How amazing is that, giving your parents 'proud parent moments.' I can't even word it. 

Do you know what's even cooler, is I'm not going out there to create 'proud parent moments.' I'm just doing what I enjoy, taking everything which I can (literally) and pondering down a muddy path which seems to be leading to an unknown place. 

I've got Becky who sticks out a Facebook status when I'm off away, attempts to get a hug out of me when I'm home, and is just there when I need her. Moments that I smile about. Ben who treats me like a celebrity when I'm with him, doesn't want me to leave, telling me I'm not allowed to go back to Preston. 2 people aged 21 and 5 who I can talk to about anything, who can both bring out the best in me without even trying. 

So incredibly lucky to have an amazing family of number 1 Sarah supporters. Friends who tell their parents about me, what I'm doing and where I'm going. It's crazy sometimes, this kid from Telford creating a life full of experiences and enjoyment. The people who I've not spoken to for ages, but still care and are amazed at the things I've done. 

Looking now at teachers, coaches, colleagues, mentors... people. People who aren't there to modify me into a version of them, but to help create the best Sarah Nickless. To be a part of this journey. Although they speak through experience and for the best, they are more people just throwing in a thought.. Allowing me to make my own mistakes. 

Throughout all of this, it's me who is the decision maker. I sometimes think, are these recent successes fate? Does having a troubled childhood equal a successful future? I guess probably not. But it certainly allows me to enjoy and appreciate everything, knowing the past.

The mad thing is, sometimes I sit and read my blog to reminisce, and I wonder how I've done all the things I have. I've grown up knowing that you work hard for what you get, things don't get put on a plate. The things I've achieved, are things I haven't gone looking for. I've not asked for them, they've come to me. Just like progressions in a session, they kind of come naturally. You've just got to decide of to let them pass or take the opportunity. 

There's also this thing of, oh that will look great on your cv, or that'll help when getting a job... Never once have I thought that when applying for something or going to an event. I've done things because I enjoy them, and want to get better. Not because it's a CV enhancer or might get me an award. If that's what we're aiming for then nothing will be learnt, events won't be enjoyed and at the end of it you won't be able to recognise the value of what's been achieved. Where the fun in that, going places to be able to say that you've been there.. but done what?

I've never really thought about it, but this freedom, it's what's working for me. A want to enjoy things, do what I like doing. Obviously the support helps to no end, but ultimately only I can make the final decisions. Sarah's Wild Adventure has gotten me this far. Being who I want to be, doing what I want to do. 

Things like having a bit of hope to play football again, but then veering off in a different direction of volunteering, has been the best thing which has every happened to me. I wouldn't wish injury upon anyone, but I'm so grateful for mine, which has provided a head turn which is continuing to be a huge part of the journey. 

I've got some unbelievable people around me. Not everything is fine and dandy, the river still floods every now and then. But as we know, the rivers still flow. And it's this little bit of force which turns our stream, into a river and into the sea which then goes all over the world. 

Fortunate to have people around me who care and want to what's best, fortunate enough to be able to make my own decisions. 

I've learnt that by doing the right things, gets you noticed by the right people. Being allowed a freedom in life gets you as far as freedom on a pitch. That turn might not pull off every time, but to get past the hurdle/player/ challenge you've got to be ready. Back your decision, and if it doesn't pull off first time, go again. 

Bit of a mind dump, it's come after watching a film last night. Not really FF related, but it doesn't really have to be. 

A Year of Making Mistakes

This weekend I will finally be on my way back to Shropshire to have my final student summer, 2 months of no uni work, making my own tea, washing my own clothes and paying to live - one to savour I know. This might sound great, but realistically I'm already 2 months into my summer. 1 month was spent in Zambia, the other has been spent here in Preston, in and out of meetings, planning and emailing. Sounds riveting? 

2 months after my activator contract ran out for the year, I'm returning home to continue planning. It feels like I can't escape, constantly thinking about next season, plans that I've got in place, things I've yet to do and also my first year in the role. 

I think it says a lot about me to have spent so much time in Preston, planning and attending meetings.. But I want to get next year right, the more I do now, the less I have to do later. Without going on about my ridiculous sized summer, I want to have a look back over the season 2013/14 and my time spent in and office, behind a computer, down a phone and on the playing field. 

As my previous blogs have outlined, I was shocked and so overwhelmed to have got the role as University Football Activator for UCLan at the start if the year. It felt like the best possible next step on a ladder of football development, which up until 2 years ago, I didn't even know existed. This a new experience for me and one which I couldn't see the future of, as in where it would take me, what it really involved and if I was up to the challenge. 

The early stages seemed to pass me by, still amazed that I was in the role. Weeks and hours tumbled by and I hadn't really done anything, or so it seemed. Freshers' Fairs came and went, we had teams signing up and chasing round halls of residence to try and get more students involved. A task I thought wouldn't be a problem, everyone loves football right?

Wrong, that seemed to be a hard pill to swallow. One that I couldn't understand and it constantly annoyed me that I couldn't get more people involved, turns out that I probably wasn't looking in the right places or putting on the right kind of event.

They say that you make a mistake once, after that it becomes a choice. This is the best way in which I can describe the past year within my role. Mistakes are proof that I'm trying things, the plans I'm making for next year are proof that I'm learning. I've had a number of positives and successes, that with the Hub Club Project, referee developments and number of teams within our Student Union Leagues, but that doesn't mean that everything has run smoothly.

That of setting up a female only football provision, some sort of volunteer group, running our 11-a-side leagues.. Things that I want to work but haven't seemed to be able to get right. I've had a lot of people tell me that I'm spread far too thinly, and I agree. Having so much to with little time has been incredibly difficult at times I've lost enthusiasm and struggled. But sometimes it's that struggle and those mistakes which show us where to improve and what's needed. 

It's been a challenge to try and implement ideas without any research, to learn about how to run leagues, to organise referees and things which go wrong on match days - which they certainly have done! The times where referees haven't turned up, the weather has ruined fixtures, players moaning, teams dropping out, chasing money.. things that you don't expect to happen. There are times where I've wanted the ground to open up and eat me.. but learning how to deal with and in this situations has helped a lot.

After talking to many other Football Activators it seems like I had an awful lot of responsibility put on my shoulders. I've been involved with projects which others haven't and have had a lot to look after. With a lot to look after it's been challenging but also very rewarding. After linking up with the Lancashire Hub Club Project I have been able to see and be a part of some amazing developments where the Hub Club has now grown a number of arms including an FA Affiliated club for 5+ different age groups and now planning to run Football Mash Up centres under their name. This work has been topped off by UCLan inviting me to The Sir Tom Finney Tribute Dinner, a posh evening celebrating Sir Tom Finney's life and also raising money for the Sir Tom Finney Soccer Centre [the Hub Club].

Getting a referee course run and now progressing into hopefully a referee's forum is also very exciting, something I hope to pull off next season.

Now, looking towards next season, I've planned and will have a Futsal league running. The first futsal league at UCLan, expectations around me are quite low, but I'm fairly confident things will work out well following attendances to a futsal turn up and play session last year. I've spent time linking up with The FA to affiliate us to be an FA Futsal Fives League, setting up all of the ground work - now I've got to deliver it.

I've had a meeting with all football providers at the university to ensure that we can deliver the 6 point BUCs football offer as a team, instead of me trying to run it all single handedly. Although I've been able to spread some of my work, it seems that I will be doing the same if not more next season within less hours. A mammoth task. 

The challenges I've face have been difficult at times to get around, but they've provided me with first hand experience within an environment which I want to be in when I graduate next year. 

I've learnt to be patient and offer what students want, not what I think they need. To persevere, not give up if it doesn't work straight away. And also the importance of collaboration, whether that be when sending out volunteering opportunities, delivering the leagues or within the Hub Club. However small the input, that could be the final jigsaw piece. 

Frustration is natural, it's a struggle to juggle my degree, job, living, coaching and everything else I want to do. But I've managed to get through it, with better planning and knowledge of what next year will hold will definitely put me in good stead to leave a legacy for someone else to pick up next year. 

This season, 2013/14, I have:
- Run our 11-a-side SUL league with 16 teams.
- Run our 5-a-side SUL league with 12 teams.
- Formed a strong partnership with our Hub Club, creating 6 coaching placements.
- Run a basic referees course creating 12 new referees.
- Set up UCLan as a Mars Just Play centre, hoping to have more success with this next year.
- Run a football festival, Mars Just Play in partnership with Team 23 with over 100 students involved.
- Partially delivered a workshop around the Hub Club project at the BUCs Football Development Conference.
- Attempted to create a female only football provision.
- Put in all of the ground work ahead of a Futsal Fives League next season.

I think that my role this year has played a huge part in helping me to be accepted onto the National Game Youth Council, provided me with experience of contacting a number of people, looking to deliver projects, deliver presentations and come up with innovative ideas.

It's been a busy first year, where a lot has taken place. Hopefully next year will be a little easier with having a years experience, but I'm sure it will throw up more problems.

Just like queuing up for a rollercoaster, you see all of the climbs, drops and thrills - but you cant feel the ride until you're on it. I knew it would be a roller coaster, but had to be on it to experience it.

I've got more plans to write, provisions to maintain and a year to leave behind a job with a legacy.. not much of an ask..