The FA Tesco Skills Programme aims to get children active whilst developing the future of football in England.
Launched in June 2007, the three-year programme is co-ordinated by The FA and funded by Tesco and Sport England. The FA Tesco Skills Programme has the target of giving one million children top-quality Skills coaching by the summer of 2010.
A total of 90, full-time, specialist Skills Coaches are focusing on raising technical standards amongst the 5-11 age group, when ball skills are ingrained. Skills Coaches support primary school teachers run after school Skills Centres and work with local clubs across 18 counties in England. All FA Skills Coaches have completed an age appropriate coaching course and are trained to be both experts in youth football and children’s learning needs.
Skills Coaches include former Aston Villa and Liverpool winger Mark Walters and current England women’s international Fara Williams. England’s Frank Lampard and Kelly Smith also lend their support as ambassadors for the programme.
Sir Trevor Brooking, a founder of the programme, stated: “We’ve got to give every 5 to 11-year-old in England the opportunity to play and enjoy the game. And if they want to get better, we need to show them how.”
For more details about The FA Tesco Skills Programme, as well as coaching videos, football tips and fun games for boys and girls of all abilities, go to
www.TheFA.com/Skills.