Third Year Scholars Take Control of Their Futures Through Holiday Camps
Parents and players will have seen a few fresh faces around the Windsor Foodservice Stadium, taking sessions and assisting with coaching over the Academy’s holiday camps; Alex Wolny, Dan Gillatt, Iby Barkwick, Toby Gregory, Travis Graves, and Rhys Butterworth make up our third year scholars cohort, studying for their Level 4 Elite Coaching qualification. After another action-packed camp day, I sat down with the group to discuss how they found the experience, and how the course is helping to bolster their ambitions for a career in football.
Right to left: Iby Barkrick, Rhys Butterworth, Dan Gillatt
This has been a busy couple of weeks for you guys - how have you found it taking such an active role in an intense programme like the holiday camps?
Alex: It's obviously been a real test for us, not all of us have had the experience of coaching for such long periods at once, but I think for the most part, most of us have enjoyed it! So yeah, it's been a good half term for all of us.
Dan: I'd generally agree with what Alex said, it's been a challenge at points but it's been really good fun as well.
Iby: Yeah it's been tough at points, it's been a real challenge for us as the other two said. But at the end of the day it's all about the experience, and I've really enjoyed it, which is the main thing.
Toby: It's been really hard, I won't lie, it's been tiring at points, but I've really enjoyed it, and I feel like together we've made the most of it and had a really good time.
Travis: I think seeing a load of new people come in in that first week, getting the opportunity to coach, trying to grasp new things in such a busy setting, has been properly fun, and really rewarding.
Rhys: It's been a really good experience getting a real-life taste of coaching, we've seen some great kids over the week, once we sort of warmed into it I think we all found it really really good.
Much of this course seeks to prepare you for roles like the ones you've carried out over half-term, roles in the coaching sphere. How valuable is it to have the opportunity to get real work experience alongside studying for this course.
Alex: Personally as a player, primarily I want to achieve as much as possible as a footballer, but these sorts of roles are a great opportunity to see what it's like to be a coach, add that extra layer of responsibility. We've got this Level 4 course in coaching, so the fact we're getting chances to actually coach makes that experience all the more worthwhile.
Dan: It's great to see that different side to football really - seeing the coaches' views, seeing that side and getting involved in that is a really good experience for a young footballer and helps us build up our confidence moving forward either as players, or one day as coaches.
Iby: I never really had a massive desire to be a coach, I definitely want to focus on playing first and foremost, but now I'm starting to get the experience in coaching I can really see that helping my development on the pitch as a player. We're learning about how they play the game at the top level, and that's where I want to be at someday, so that's really helpful. Plus, getting that foundation qualification doesn't hurt, you can't really argue or complain about it.
Toby: Like Iby, I want to play football at the highest level, but it's great to be able to see that secondary perspective, that coach-eye-view. I think it also gives us the understanding and the tools to be able to relate more with what our coaches are saying, we're learning from them, and a couple of them, they've coached at that top level we want to be at, so knowing how it works at that level is a really big step.
Travis: It's interesting to see what happens day in day out in the coaching life. I guess it really makes you appreciate how much effort has gone into getting us to where we're all at now, how much different coaches have put work in to ensure we're the best versions of ourselves, and gives us a chance to help that next generation get the best out of themselves.
Rhys: This was actually my first time coaching, and it was a really eye opening experience for me. Coaching and getting the Level 4 is gonna be a real bonus for us all when we finish up as footballers, or a good backup to have alongside that if progressing all the way up to professional football doesn't quite happen.
From right to left: Alex Wolny, Travis Graves, Toby Gregory
What have you enjoyed the most about the half term camps? Have there been any challenges you've faced individually?
Alex: The biggest thing I enjoyed about the camps was getting to know other coaches, seeing different players, styles of play, methods of coaching - I think I've really benefitted from getting to spend time around those coaches and observe their coaching styles. I think the biggest challenge was, at the start of the week, when you realised you're responsible for making sure the kids are safe, but also that they're not bored or anything like that, they're not feeling down or excluded. I think through the week I managed to get into the swing of it though, and really managed to make sure the kids on the course enjoyed themselves, that's always been the most important thing for me.
Dan: The thing I've enjoyed the most is probably managing to really pack in that intense amount of experience, like Alex said working with new coaches, new kids who've maybe never seen the Academy before. At the same time though, the biggest challenge was also working with those new kids - we're the first ones they see, and there's that pressure on us tp be good representatives of the Academy. Working with the other coaches throughout the week and taking advice on board, and obviously as I got to know the kids a bit more, yeah I'd say that lack of confidence disappeared and by the end of the week I felt like I'd be prepared for meeting those new kids a bit better next time round.
Iby: The biggest challenge for me was actually the younger kids, it's a real task trying to keep them focused and engaged at points, they don't always want to pay attention. Working with experienced, qualified coaches like Aidan and Jack, and also people like Alex who has the experience but is also at our level, it helped show me ways to keep them engaged, and they were also around if I needed advice which was really helpful.
Toby: I've personally enjoyed doing my own sessions, getting a chance to plan them and take the lead. But the hardest part was definitely then trying to show that to new kids, when you don't know their level necessarily, but over the week you kind of share notes with the other coaches and get to know the kids, and pretty quickly you get an idea of which kids it is you're coaching and what sessions to run.
Travis: Actually, for me, I quite liked the fact you came into it and didn't know what levels the players were, it helped me to focus on making sure they all enjoyed it rather than just making sessions for really good top players or for ones who might struggle a bit more. The hardest thing for sure was keeping them disciplined - some of the kids, it felt like they wanted to kick me in the shins every two minutes in the games [laughs], but you learn to deal with that pretty quickly and as they get to know you across the week they trust you more and respect you a bit more as well.
Rhys: The most enjoyable part for me was taking charge of a team, getting to learn how to coach a group rather than just being a part of it as a player. The most difficult element of it was I think dealing with some of the behaviours, especially like Trav said, early on, but luckily we all sort of, got the knack of it as it went on, knowing what things worked and what didn’t in terms of the kids.
Finally then, as always: What are you excited about that's coming up soon, and what are you excited about that's maybe in the more distant future, perhaps once this course has finished and you've got the qualification?
Alex: I think a lot of us are in the same boat with what we want to do mainly - personally, I mean, I want to be a professional footballer. But this course gives me opportunities and other options to branch out into football, in this instance through gaining experience coaching. I'd also love to one day go to uni, and advance further into a coaching programme, and reach an even higher level, maybe even a masters degree, or my coaching qualifications, and still get the chance to work for a football club in the future.
Dan: I'm most excited firstly about getting more experience under my belt, taking advantage and getting more qualifications to become a better coach, and then I want to go to Leeds Beckett uni and get a sports and exercise degree, and then move into a career in coaching after I've got the degree.
Iby: Well, I'm trying to become a footballer, but of course if that doesn't work, this course gives me the option to explore what I can do at uni - with this being a Level 4, that foundation degree level, it gives me the baseline to go forward into university or into a coaching job down the line. For now though, my focus is on playing as much as possible, moving up the ranks, trying to get to the highest level of play I can. Ultimately, I want to be in football, it's really a case of "whichever way gets me there".
Toby: Well, for me in the near I'm hoping to get back to playing football full time, back off this injury, and back out there scoring goals and bagging assists [the group laugh]. It's the first time I've been badly injured so yeah, getting back out there and into football full time, working with the coaches to build my fitness up, and yeah, going on to play as much football as I can. Hopefully in this next year I'll keep building my experience up, and once I'm done with this course I'll be going on to play football full time somewhere, working up towards that top level. Assuming I don't get injured again, of course [laughs].
Travis: Getting my qualifications, making sure I finish the course strongly, and then getting to uni as a next step. I fancy going to Derby, they've got a sports performance analysis course there, and they do coaching science as well which interests me. That performance analysis side is something I really want to explore as a next step, Jake [Dallamore, Strength and Conditioning Coach] does that for the reserves and the 21s, so I'm hoping to take some advice from him on the best road to go down with that, tagging along with him in that respect I guess.
Rhys: For me in the near future I'm looking to work towards earning some coaching badges, longer term I want to become a professional footballer but I also want to go to university. Manchester is a great city, it's a great footballing atmosphere, so I think going somewhere like the University of Manchester would be unreal, I've taken an interest in the sports nutrition elements of this course we're on now and I think that's a route I'd like to go down if I end up going to uni. The beauty of this course is that it gives you that blanket of experience so you can see what interests you and then kind of go down whatever path you prefer afterwards, whether it's here at this club, or at another club, or anywhere else.