GNAT United

Just Imagine!

2007-12-17T07:47:00.000Z

Just imagine for a moment Youth football organised solely for the benefit of the development of children
Where youth football coaches’ desires of living out their managerial fantasies were non existent
Where parents sporting ambitions were not being lived via their children
A system of sports development that did not focus upon winning over development
Where the improvement of a child learning to kick a ball with his weaker foot was heralded as much as the top goal scorer’s latest hat-trick (or a 40 yard screamer)
Parents smiling on the touchline, non-judgemental, win or lose
Referees enjoying their duties as official, due to the genuine thanks and respect they receive from players, parents and coaches
Football designed for children and not for mini adults
An environment and culture that cultivated a respect for your opponents
Training programmes that stretched and motivated children of ALL abilities
Youth football matches played in a competitive but aggression free environment
A structure of football that catered for the specific and changing requirements of youngsters as they mature to prevent the drop-out in the early teens
Football facilities that allow the development of football skills all year round
Coach education that maximised the potential in our youngsters
Just imagine! For without imagination great goals can never be achieved
With imagination, belief and resolve, English football could truly be “The Beautiful Game!”
Just imagine “England World Cup Winners!”

UK Youth Football – A battle ground fought on the backs of children

2007-11-15T09:03:00.000Z

I have been involved in youth football actively as a football coach for the past four plus years. In that time I have witnessed many children in tears and many aggressive and poorly behaved parents and coaches.

Unfortunately, parents want to turn children’s football into a mini premier league. The focus is upon winning and the early discarding of players that coaches (in THEIR expert opinion) do not believe are "good enough" or "will never make it".

What they don't realise is with 4+ million youth players in the UK if the main objective was to find professional players then the vast majority of coaches are failures. The objective must be to develop all players and ensure that they enjoy playing football. We are in the middle of a health crisis with our UK youngsters with an every increasing level of obesity and related health problems. There are also behaviour problems that we all at times witness each day from children who have little self respect and an equal level of respect for others.

From a pure football viewpoint the focus on "Winning" has produced in the English game a selection of the early maturing boys that are big and strong. They can run faster and kick the ball harder. The more skilful players are neglected or give up as they do not get the same level of encouragement.

My most enjoyable days of football have been witnessing our (GNFC) 5-a-side inter club games when winning was not a priority and all the players had the opportunity to play. Parents and coaches were more relaxed and strangely enough so were the players.

The bad behaviour I often see in players in the competitive league games is a exact mirror of the parents and coaches who shout swear and scream from the sidelines.

As well as behaving badly they continually try to make all the decisions for the players by shouting step by step instructions thus preventing the players from learning to make their own decisions.

The greatest gift these parents could give their children is to applaud and praise when they do something right and to smile at the end of the game regardless of the score and ignore their child’s mistakes. We all make mistakes EVEN the same parents who criticise so loudly from the touchlines. The mistakes do not have to be highlighted to everybody present. The children know when they have made a poor pass or miss-kicked the ball. All they really want to see is a smile of acceptance from their parents win or lose.

I have a suggestion for all parents that believe that their criticism is helpful. Let me follow you to your place of work and look over your shoulder all day and announce to the world with a megaphone each mistake you make! Do you think your level of enjoyment would increase or decrease?

I think the shouting and over competitiveness the parents and coaches try to put upon the children is merely a symptom. It is a symptom of their own pent up frustration due to their own lack of competitive outlet. If they took part in more competitive sport themselves then I am sure that their touchline volume and their waistline would both reduce.

At Great Notley Football Club we have instigated a number of initiatives to overcome the ugly problems we have seen in youth football. The first begins with Coach education and communication with parents. The club has started a series of education workshops to help coaches in the development of the children in their charge not only from a pure football perspective but also from a psychological viewpoint as well.

GNFC has also joined two forward thinking campaigns the first is Don’t X the Line Campaign see http://www.dontxthelinecampaign.com/ which aims to protect referees by educating spectators and players to prevent opinions being expressed in an aggressive manner.

The other campaign which GNFC is supporting is Give Us Back Our Game http://giveusbackourgame.co.uk/ That aims to make Football the beautiful game once again for youngsters. The campaign organiser Paul Cooper believes that the main problems are:
No longer the children's game - it is controlled by adults
The same children on the bench or omitted every game
Coaches and parents screaming from the touchlines
Winning before fun and development
Not enough free play where children can solve their own problems
Children are not encouraged to express themselves
Children no longer learn about the spirit of the game for themselves
As parents and coaches we have the opportunity to help children become so much more than just a good footballer. Becoming a professional footballer should not be the ultimate objective. A list of the top thousand people of the last century that have made a difference to this country would see few if any footballers listed. Consequently, need to be more ambitious and realise that Football is the medium and not just the ultimate objective. Football is a great game where children can learn to work as a team member, where hard work over time will pay off, where discipline can be taught at an early age, where you can learn respect for your team mates, coaches, parents and the opposition. Let’s move beyond the blinkered vision of just developing footballers and instead help nurture in our youth confidence, self discipline, self esteem and a foundation for them to become great citizens.

Mark Edwards
Vice Chairman
Great Notley Football Club

GNAT - Great Notley Activity Tender

2006-10-30T13:48:00.000Z

GNAT - Great Notley Activity Tender. A project to improve the quality of life for residents in Great Notley by increasing the opportunities for healthy activity for the whole community but with a special focus upon the youth. Designed and driven by the local teenagers for the benefit of all.

The programme is designed to proactively address head-on the steadily increasing problem of anti-social behaviour and vandalism. The project will require the local authorities, organisations, teenagers and residents of all ages within Great Notley to form a single solution orientated vision to which they are willing and able to give their full support.

Strategy

"Let's not put in place preventative measures to try and quash the misplaced energies of teenagers, as this will probably prove to be a long and fruitless battle. Their energy or mischief will only resurface somewhere else. Instead, let us engage with the youths by first listening and then working in partnership to channel and harness their energy for the positive long term good of the Great Notley community. This will be achieved by creating a single vision on which we can all agree and then by cooperating in building a solution in which we will all benefit."

GNAT United blog enables residents from Great Notley to register their thoughts and comments regarding the initiative and to provide their input on the sports activities they would like to see on offer. Also we are looking for volunteers from the local community who would be willing to act as activity and group leaders. People with skills and expertise that may be able to assist in the success of this project would be warmly welcomed. GNAT are looking for people who would be willing to give up a few hours each week to help in the planning and running of this project. Of particular but not exclusive interest are people with sports expertise, instructors and coaches as well as qualified life coaches, personal development presenters and trainers. People who could help with passing on life skills. Also, people who have strong organisational skills or have businesses that may be able to assist with sponsorship or the creation of some of the resources:

Additional Resources:
There are two main additional resources that are required.

A "Sports Pavilion" facing the green to be built as an extension to the Community Centre.
An all weather floodlit Astro turf sports training facility at the Discovery Centre plus classroom and education facility with provision for playing DVD's to a small audience.

Community Benefits:
The benefits to the local community in providing both the Sports Pavilion and “All Weather Training Facility” would be as follows:

Provide a youth centre at the Discovery Centre that would actively engage with the quickly growing population of youngsters in the local community (2,000 and growing) to provide a measurable long term impact on the lives of the residents of Great Notley by inspiring youngsters to participate in a wide range of positive activities, specifically (but not exclusively) for the 12 to 20 year olds, thus helping to channel their energies into rewarding achievement.
Classroom / education facility would enable a range of life skills and motivational workshops to take place using the talents and skills from within the community.
Sports Pavilion would provide a base to fulfil the sports educational requirements of younger children including football for the “Mini-soccer players”. Changing facilities and toilets. Plus an office for Parish Council, GNFC and Police Authorities.
Provide opportunities for all local age groups to take part in sports education programmes that promote healthy living and active participation in sport and fitness.
Provide sports training and education facility for local schools
Increase “foot fall” and awareness of the Country Park and the new services provided.
Provide additional revenue opportunities based in and around the Discovery Centre.

“You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem”

2006-10-29T09:31:00.000Z

There is only way way that this project will succeed and that is with your help. If you live in Great Notley and belive in GNAT, then volunteer NOW! Post a comment by clicking the link below and leave your name and how you could help. The intention is to "spread the load". Think "how can I be of assistance?" Let us know and become a GNAT!