Sir Trevor Brooking was in Harlow on Thursday as 450 children helped launch the Essex FA Tesco Skills Programme at Hare Street Primary School.
Essex is one of twelve pilot projects across the country for the FA co-ordinated initiative which is funded by both Tesco and the National Sports Foundation and aims to give one million children aged 5-11 top-quality skills coaching by summer 2010.
The FA have employed 66 coaches across the country to run the skill sessions over three years and the Essex team includes ex-Tottenham Hotspur youth coach Matthew Joseph and former Bristol Rovers player Luke Bright, who have both just completed an age appropriate skills coaching course.
Speaking at the launch, Sir Trevor Brooking commented: “At the elite end of the game, there is concern over the skill gap between English youngsters and their European counterparts, which has an obvious impact of our future success as a football nation.
“At grassroots level, the skills programme will enable us to begin the challenge of raising the technical bar in English football at the key 5-11 year-old developmental stage.
“It is also about providing specialist, quality coaching to give young players an enjoyable, stimulating environment to maximise their ability.”
The skills coaches will deliver FA Skills centres in the local area, where they will be training boys and girls using world leading coaching techniques, so that young players can be inspired to get active and maximise football skills, whatever their ability.
For coaching videos, football tips and fun games 5-11 year olds can sign up at www.thefa.com/Skills.
Parents, teachers and local football clubs can help children progress by supporting them through specially designed football Skills Challenges which are available on the site.
Sir Terry Leahy, CEO of Tesco, the programme’s sponsor, commented: “Being a massive football fan myself I am delighted that we are working with The FA at a local community level. The scheme will encourage kids to get active, have fun and enjoy football, and the great thing is that both boys and girls at any level will be able to get involved.
“Tesco already runs a voucher collection scheme ‘Sport for Schools and Clubs’ where we have given £20m of sports equipment to schools and this agreement takes our commitment to sport and healthy living forward.”
