The course featured 24 women and girls and was setup as part of the AFN’s Coaching Pathways Programme which aims to tackle and understand the barriers faced by Asian and other minority groups in accessing mainstream coaching provision.

AFN research shows that a lack of quality coaching provision and limited pathways are the main factors that are inhibiting the progression of Asian players and coaches into mainstream football with the CCP project looking to harness the huge hidden potential in Asian communities by delivering targeted coaching courses.

The AFN’s Kuljit Randhawa commented: “We knew that if we designed a course sensitive to the needs of Asian women and girls and communicated it through the right channels then we would achieve a high attendance rate.

“We weren’t at all surprised with the response and enthusiasm for the course. There is a need for more Asian women coaches, which in turn would bring about better coaching opportunities at grassroots level, and provide positive role models for Asian communities and beyond.”

Namzin, from Elite Youth FC, was delighted to have taken part in the Level One course which also included a session on First Aid: “We really enjoyed the course and are pleased that the AFN set it up as, otherwise, we probably wouldn’t had the opportunity to become coaches.

“It’s important for us to be role models for the next generation of players and coaches.”

The course featured females from a variety of different Asian backgrounds with Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian and Vietnamese communities all represented and the Essex FA’s Nick Perchard said: “We have been working with the Asian Football Network for a number of years to try to increase the number of Asians involved in all aspects of the game.

“One of the priorities is to increase the number of female asian coaches so that there are people working on the ground who can act as role models and we’re delighted by the success of the course and even more so by the desire of the coaches involved in the course to get involved in the programmes delivered by Essex FA.

“It is our hope that many of these newly qualified coaches will work in the grassroots game and encourage more people from ethnic minorities to become involved.”

For more information on the AFN go to www.asianfootballnetwork.org.uk.