It can be a pretty heavy schedule playing National League North football. You know, not much time other than to play games and then recover and then repeat weekly.
Coaching has been a big part of my life over the last year and nothing I enjoy more than getting the local boys and girls off of Fortnite during the school half-term and playing football.
This week we had our February Soccer School. 24 children for two days from ages 6-14 having fun and burning off some of the vast amount of energy that kids have now a days (I’m sure I never I had that much energy as a kid).
Everyone leaves with the minimum of a small trophy but when the competitions start on Day 2 then the better prizes aren ready to be won. Here is what was on offer this week:
Day one is kind of like the ‘warm-up’ really. A few fun games in the morning giving the budding footballers the taste of what competition’s on day two will be like. An afternoon tournament across three pitches sees them battle for day one champions.
Day two – The World Cup Final day. Competitions start from Bulldog first game. Crossbar challenge, penalty shoot-out and target practice normally make up the trio of competitions in the morning. Re-fuel with lunch and then it is the afternoon session. The tournament! Like the World Cup, similar to the Champions League but to the kids of Gateshead it is bigger. 6-year-old’s and 14-year-old’s on the same team, 6 teams. Group stages first then knockout football decides the ultimate champions. The youngest player on a team scores, it is 2 goals! 2-1 down in the last minute, get the youngest goal-hanging, you might just win it, it has happened before you know!
Kids shattered – well you would think they are but no they still want to go home and carry on playing football – it is presentation time. Everyone child gets a pack of sweets and a miniature trophy but the main prize and the main trophy goes to, The Player Of The Week!
That lad whose team maybe 3-0 down but still works hard. The lad who encourages. The lad who plays with a smile on his face and just loves playing football. Whittled down to one lad, deliberation over we have our winner.
Michael Dobby what a great two days you had, Sports Direct Voucher and the February Soccer School Trophy. He’ll be back next time with the same attitude and desire, could he win it again, he could do.
How Day 2 looked from The Coach’s point of view:
JJ O'Donnell 