Information Bulletin
16 November 2005
Ross County FC returns to deliver more youth football
Two visiting coaching staff from Ross County Football Club have had a successful few days of football coaching in Shetland this week, leading sessions with local schoolchildren and running a coaching course for adults working with junior footballers. Football coaches Gavin Levey and Martin Rae travelled north from the Club’s base in Dingwall for a second visit this year, to continue the partnership in support of Shetland football.
The pair led a Scottish Football Association (SFA) “Development Activities” introductory coaching course, at Clickimin on Monday evening and in Brae on Tuesday evening. The course is the first level coaching award in the “youth” pathway for adults working with footballers aged 12-18 years old. Twenty four adults attended the course, including local club coaches and PE staff, that gave them introductory coaching skills and knowledge to coach youth footballers.
The two visiting coaches also delivered coaching sessions to pupils at Mossbank Primary School and Sandwick Junior High School and to pupils with additional support needs from Anderson High School and Bells Brae Primary School.
Commenting on the success of the visit, SFA Community Coach Gavin Levey remarked – “I have been impressed by the enthusiasm and willingness of the local football coaches to learn new coaching skills. All the schoolchildren we have seen have been great to work with and I look forward to returning with our coaching team again early next year.”
Staff from Ross County were last in Shetland in May of this year, when they led a similar SFA coaching course for local coaches working with youngsters of primary school age, as well as coaching the men's and women's island games teams and local schoolchildren.
The ongoing partnership with Ross County FC is part of a joint commitment by the SFA and the Club to develop football in Shetland. Staff from the Council’s Community Development Service are also closely involved and are leading discussions on the future structure of Shetland football, in partnership with local football organisations.
SFA North Regional Manager, Neil Mackintosh, was also in Shetland last week for a short visit to outline the SFA’s national Youth Action Plan, some of the main objectives of which will be to support local football club development, deliver coach education courses, and to create player pathways. The latter objective offers the exciting prospect of the most talented young footballers in Shetland being selected for a North of Scotland Regional squad, and thereafter possibly for the Scottish National squad.
Discussions have already taken place on the next planned visit by Ross County FC staff, which is likely to be around mid-April 2006. During this visit, the coaches hope to deliver an Easter soccer school for local youngsters, as well as the next level SFA coaching course for coaches working with children.
This visit by Ross County FC staff has been co-ordinated by the Community Development Service of Shetland Islands Council and was supported by the Big Lottery Fund. "
Ends