Disability Football is developing quickly in Somerset. To ensure sustainability of disability football, volunteers are the key!
If you are a coach linked to a club or someone interested in supporting individuals with a special need and/or disability Somerset FA want to hear from you!
Somerset FA host a substantial coach education programme with many courses for individuals to learn new skills. There are two disability specific courses which support coaches and individuals within football to learn more about disability football and how players with disabilities can be supported.
There is a disability player pathway which Somerset FA is working hard to establish. This pathway is; to develop grassroots football by increasing opportunities for players at school and club level; develop more adult club teams to enter into the adult disability league - the 'Ability Counts League'; set up impairment specific teams e.g. Cerebral Palsy football team, Partially Sighted football team; develop a Centre of Excellence for elite players which is the National Talent ID programme for players to be selected for the National England Disability teams.
Above is just some of the ways Somerset FA is developing disability football.
If you are interested in getting involved and would like to discuss this further please contact Rachael Edwards, Disability Football Development Officer on 07533 816510 or via email at rachael.edwards@somersetfa.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coaching Disabled Footballers Course - New Pre-requisite
The Coaching Disabled Footballers course has been designed to mirror coaching methods and games delivered in the Level 1 Football Coaching course; therefore it is important that those who attend the CDF course have attended the L1 course as a pre requisite. Originally this has always been a requirement; however this condition was relaxed to allow a greater number to attend the course. Unfortunately we have a number of reports from course tutors that candidates who have not attended a L1 course were finding aspects of the course too difficult particularly around the practical coaching element and relating them to L1 games. Therefore it is necessary to ensure all CDF attendees have the L1 and dispensation will only be given in exceptional circumstances (i.e. where a teacher or coach has extensive knowledge of disability and practical experience) and only in agreement with Jeff Davis, National Development Manager – disability.
Disability Equality Workshop
If you would like more information about these courses please email Rachael.edwards@somersetfa.com.