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.
Monday 21 April 2014
Tuesday 15 April 2014
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?
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?
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