Member Article

Thriving Merseyside coaching programme shortlisted for North West Football award

A sports coaching programme which is transforming the way football is taught in Merseyside has been shortlisted for a top prize at the North West Football Awards.

Little League Sports, based in Woolton, is a finalist in the Business Services to Football category at the glittering annual ceremony, which will take place at The Point at Lancashire County Cricket Club’s Old Trafford ground on November 4.

Director Jordan Wright, who established Little League with lifelong friend and business partner Joe Mulhearn, said being shortlisted for such a prestigious prize was a great honour.

“We are extremely proud to be in contention for this award,” he said. “Our coaches work extremely hard to teach youngsters the right way to play football and our tutors work equally hard to make sure the standard of education our trainee coaches receive is second to none.”

Little League Sports has grown from an idea funded by Jordan and Joe’s student loans to a thriving business which employs 20 people and has trained more than 200 teenage sports coaches up to FA Level Two and NVQ Level Three (Sports Coaching) at 10 sixth forms, colleges and academies in Merseyside.

Earlier this year Little League Sports signed a collaboration agreement with the LFC Foundation to operate primary school programmes under the ‘Skills and Drills’ banner.

In addition the business delivers football skills coaching in more than 50 primary schools across the region, providing high quality coaching sessions for more than 10,000 children a year through PE lessons, breakfast, lunch and after school clubs and school holiday camps.

According to Joe Mulhearn, the vocational qualification programmes Little League Sports offers young people will have an impact for years to come.

“We offer 16-year-olds the chance to go to college and study qualifications that will really help them embark on a career in football coaching or teaching,” he said.

“The programme also helps thousands of young children get a good grounding in both basic and advanced skills that will help them enjoy football and sporting activity throughout their life, whether they pursue a career at the highest level or play at an amateur or casual level.

“Our aim is to improve the general level of coach education in the region in line with the FA’s own targets on raising the standard of coaching in England. We are making sure that the next generation of players in Merseyside have access to a talented, fully qualified coaching pool that is able to help players not only maximise their potential but enjoy the beautiful game.”

The North West Football Awards, where the great and the good of the game in the region are celebrated, will be hosted by BBC Sport broadcaster Dan Walker. In addition to the Business Services to Football award, the list of accolades to be handed out will include prizes for the best players for North West teams in all five top divisions, the Rising Star of 2013 and the Women’s Player of the Year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Dan Minchin .