#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..

Rant with Reason.

I've written a few blogs about Football Futures, how it works and has changed people's lives, and mine in many more ways than just within football. I'm well aware of the numerous quotes I've been dropping onto twitter, a lot of them relate to my journey and my thoughts of others. Maybe it's wrong that I post them, I don't know.

Anyway, I don't want to throw another emotional strop onto the pile. I'm hoping this gets a message across.

Football Futures has allowed me to connect with people who have a similar interest, people who enjoy being in football - working and helping others.. this something which I find fantastic, I really do. I've got so much time for people who want to help others, not just themselves. FF has taught me a number of things, patience, perseverance, that anything is possible.. well within reason. Most importantly, I've learnt that everyone has something to teach you. It's not just about learning off those more experienced, but asking questions of the people you least expect. Not over-looking people because of perceptions, everyday is a school day, everyone is a teacher - but only if you're prepared to learn.

I honestly believe that FF is about influencing others as well as your own journey, working together to develop individually.. if that makes sense? Through my years on the programme, personal develop is massive.. way more important than professional. I may be wrong, but my personal development has opened doors and has been the key to opportunities. It's about being committed to being the best person you can be. That means investing time in yourself. Now, I don't mean to copy one of those shouty motivational videos or anything of the kind.. I'm not saying lock yourself away and just sit with yourself, that doesn't appeal to everyone. If you're given opportunities, events whatever they're not just to attend and enjoy, there needs to be some sort of legacy- some longevity. Opportunities are there to help you better yourself, to improve your personal not your CV.


In Rwanda, Matt Jones posed the question 'if you could sit on a bench for an hour with anyone, gone or alive and just chat - who would it be?' That's a good question, my answer was blank. Since being a part of FF, I've lost interest in celebrities, stars and those in the limelight. Everyone who I want to talk to, I have access to. My role models are all around me because I've come to realise the qualities which they hold, I don't go looking for people - nor do I wait for them to come to me - I enjoy being around people, trying to better them and allowing them to better me. I've learnt not to become bitter or competitive about trivial rubbish, I work as hard as anyone, I enjoy it and surely that's got to be important right?

In sport, these 'marginal gains' are everywhere, why cant they be seen off the field as well as on it? Maybe they are. I can name all of mine, eye contact, speeches, that magical confidence, a little bit of will power and belief. It's the small things which most people don't see, the intangible not just the in your face stuff. I sometimes struggle to explain the benefits of FF, not because there aren't any [LOL that'd be ridiculous!], but because they aren't visual. You cant explain the personal gains, and some people don't recognise these personal gains, the size of them and the feelings of them. I can't word how much I've changed since 2010, I'm not a new person, I'm a better person.

Throughout all of this, so my FF journey, I continue to chat on about people. Those I've met and get the pleasure to work with. There are a handful of people who have to put up with a lot of my moaning, negativity, successes and challenges [I hope they don't mind]. I'm in a position where people care about my development and want to support it, which is magnificent. You cant repay someone for giving up time for you, you cant give it back. I've learnt to make the most of people's time and show my thanks for it, it's not just good manners, but you cant just take a bit here and there. I kind of want to get into a position where people can look up to me like I do to others [this might be happening already,  don't know]. To have people ask for help, not try and dominate them because I want to have some ownership, there's no need. Just to be in a position where I'm needed, not wanting to sound arrogant at all, but I don't think I'm there yet.

We've come to learn that it's the quiet ones who might be missing out, but how do you recognise these? The loud ones are either taking up someone else's space or taking up time. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but the quiet ones are probably getting on with their development, whilst the loud ones are consistently talking about theirs.

So after all of this, I've settled down to this:
-> Personal/ marginal gains are important, but you've got to want to succeed in that area; not just hope it's a side effect from other things.
-> People are all around you, embrace them and their qualities.
->Everyone has something to teach you, but they cant if you're not open to learning. Don't overlook these opportunities.
-> Enjoy your success, don't brag about it, learn from it.

Whey Aye.. Durham FF Camp.. Like

This week I've been fortunate enough to travel across a few counties and work with different individuals who are working hard to develop opportunities for young people in football. I've had a fantastic week and genuinely cant wait for the next meetings and events.. it's been one of those 'I love what I do weeks' because there is nothing better than being around people who care about what they do and the development of others.

Although I've been in 4 different counties this week I want to share my experience from Friday 11th April 2014...

After following #DFACamp14 on twitter all week I was ridiculously excited to be heading up to Durham for the final day of their Football Futures Camp. Over 150 young people had been in the camp working with the Durham FA Youth Forum and Referees Academy. An event which perfectly epitomises the Football Futures Programme, ran by young people, for young people.
 
Waking up Friday morning at 4.20am was a lot easier than expected following 4 hours of sleep, those are the mornings that are enjoyable though - so many thoughts of what the day would hold were fizzing around my head. Thus alongside nerves surrounding a closing speech I was to deliver.

Arriving into Durham with the sun shining and the sound of Northern accents put a smile on my face. Soon to be met by Miranda and Marcelo of Durham's Youth Forum who showed me a tour of the North trying to find East Durham College!

I cant really word the welcome I got, both humbling and exciting meeting the Team Leaders and Youth Forum who genuinely seemed quite excited to meet me.. that or they were having an exceptionally good week.. I'd suggest the latter :]

I spent my day popping in and out of the different sessions going on, Event Management, Coaching, Futsal and Refereeing. Each one was captivating, leaving many key messages in the young leaders' minds.

It was timed well, walking into the Events Management session just after the Team Sixteen video was shown. Seeing Kieren Laverick and John Heathcote delivering was pleasing as always. Says a lot about the programme how Kieren started as a young leader and had worked his way up to now delivering workshops as a tutor. The events workshop was around Team Sixteen and Team Nineteen; understanding the aims of the initiatives before planning what a Team16/19 tournament/event could look like if one was to be run in their school/college. The workshop was then taken outside where the Young Leaders could see how a tournament would run, whilst being a part of it. Using a clever idea from John, there were transfers going on left rights and centre which meant that a tournament could be played between 4 teams and minimal players. The transfers meant that teams could play without having a full team by using other teams' players, but then everyone gets lots of game time.

Sitting in the futsal session was fun, seeing so much interaction and interest from the YLs was great. Everyone wanting to learn and take part. Tony Elliott [Head of goalkeeper coaching - England Futsal and Cerebral Palsy teams] led the sessions, giving the YLs a background and taste of futsal, the skills needed to play the game, laws of the game and some tactics. Going through how futsal uses different parts of the foot, how to 'scoop' the ball, the speed of play. It's was tiring just to watch the speed of the attacking activity which was used. No lines like a typical drill, speed of players moving the ball in and around the 'D', if you weren't shooting you were playing passes at pace into feet, being the pivot laying off for shots. Incredible, unfortunately for me, I didn't see the next progression which I'd been told about, where the game goes from the shooting activity into a counter attacking game.

After hearing a number of good news stories I was shepherded into the refereeing workshop for the afternoon. A workshop run by the Young Leaders from Durham's Refereeing Academy, a new experience for most of them who haven't led or delivered presentations or workshops before. Part if the session was held indoors, looking at the laws of the offside and mass confrontation and the theory behind it, before heading outside to look at the laws in a practical context. I kid you not, I had the time of my life doing mass confrontation. The way the session was thought out was class, being able to go back over referees decisions, showing just how difficult the job is.
I've sat through a number of refereeing workshops, all of which are long, boring and off putting. The guys in Durham, kept things simple, stuck to 2 laws and created their session around that. I honestly think this is how all refereeing workshops should be, and all referee courses for young people. Lets not turn them off with hour long lectures, but throw them into fun sessions which are up to date and show the fun side to refereeing.

I didn't spend too much time in the coaching workshop, mainly because I was being sent off and thrown around in the refereeing workshop, but the FA Tesco Skills team led the coaching sessions - looking at progressing sessions and adaptations to keep everyone involved.

A fun filled day left us with only the closing ceremony left, a video created by Chris Godfrey kicked things off. A snapshot of the event with YLs sharing why they loved the workshops and the Camp. Miranda Makepeace did a top job with her bit of spiel which introduced myself..

It was both humbling and an honour to be at Durham FA's FF Camp 2014, let alone to give a speech at their closing ceremony. Those in the know will know that Durham is well known for their Football Futures programme, knowing this made the event and my role even more special.

I gave a presentation around my Football Futures journey, where I've come from and where I'm going. Other than missing out a couple of lines from my quote, I think everything went well and I got my key messages across. I tried to make a couple of jokes and be myself and the nerves didn't get to me too much. I hope that I came across as a normal person who has worked hard for their success.

After having a few days to reflect, I still think the same about Durham's FF Camp - it was without doubt the best County Camp I've been to. It had a National Camp feel, everyone enjoyed the experience and didn't want it to end, and being honest.. neither did I.

At no point should Durham FA's FF Camp be a point of jealousy, but rather something to aim towards. Not the size of the event, but the learning environment. The ability to trust young people to shape and deliver an event of that size. Young people shaping the learning of other young people? Makes perfect sense to me.

I can only thank Tina Reed, the Durham Youth Forum, Team Leaders, Referees Academy and Young Leaders for looking after me on Friday from the minute I arrived to the minute I left. I felt like one of the team and clearly blended in during the referees workshop. Also a thank you to Kieren Laverick for his support through the pre and post presentation worries.

I tweeted the following quote on twitter last week and I hope that everyone who played a part in the DFA Camp will agree..'The best feeling of happiness, is when you're happy because you've made someone else happy.' I'm sure that everyone who attended Camp went away not wanting to leave after having an unreal learning experience, that comes down to the environment created by some world class young leaders - the future is very bright for Durham!

All that is left for me to say... Can I come again next year?