I started coaching when I was 14
In 2016/17, Alena Moulton completed The FA's BAME Mentee programme – leading to a role as technical director at Nottingham Forest Women. Here, she outlines her coaching journey to The Boot Room.
Alena Moulton is 26 years old and currently in the final few weeks of a year-long coaching placement with The FA at St. George’s Park.Over the last 12 months she has attended a UEFA study visit to Frankfurt, met Chelsea manager Antonio Conte at the LMA awards and spent time with England’s national youth teams. She starts her FA Level 4 (UEFA A) in Coaching Football course this month.
It is a remarkable rise through the coaching ranks for a woman who only eight years ago admits she disliked coaching and told her mum that she would never work with kids.
"I first started coaching when I was on work experience when I was 14 and I didn’t like it – in fact I hated it," explains Moulton who is one of four coaches on the FA’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mentee programme that aims to help redress the significant under-representation of BAME coaches at the top levels of the game.
"At first I didn’t like working with the children – there were so many different kids and behaviour could be an issue. Some kids were very needy.
At the time I thought 'I’ve not got the time nor the patience for this'. But as I started to enjoy coaching I started to understand how to cater for those needs."
The opportunity to gain different experiences that would help my players get better was something I couldn’t turn down
Moulton, from Derby, admits she only got into coaching to earn some money whilst studying - but opportunities in the game soon started to come her way.
The UEFA B licence holder began working for Derby County’s Community Trust where she completed her FA Level Two in Coaching Football and FA Youth Award and soon began working in a school as a cover supervisor with responsibility and input into planning, assessment and schemes of work.
She held her position in education for four-and-a-half years during which time her dedication in volunteering at the Rams’ centre of excellence led to a position with the Ladies U16s team. Last July she left her teaching role to join The FA on a one year full-time mentee programme.
In its inaugural year, The FA’s mentee programme has given Moulton and three other BAME mentee coaches - Zuber Patel, Taff Rahman and Annie Zaidi - the opportunity to experience a variety of departments in the FA Technical Directorate,including both the elite and grassroots coaching units and the national development teams.
“Joining The FA has allowed me to work with different people across the organisation. The opportunity to gain different experiences that would help my players get better was something I couldn’t turn down,” she explains.
Although Moulton is grateful of the many experiences she has been exposed to it is the confidence which she has gained that has been the most significant aspect of the 12-month programme.
After doing lots of observation of others I sat down and I thought: 'at some point in my life I can do that'. When that penny dropped it changed my perspective on things
"When I started to do things and then began to reflect I actually started to think ‘I can’. That was the best moment for me," Moulton added.
"After doing lots of observation of others I sat down and I thought: 'at some point in my life I can do that'. When that penny dropped it changed my perspective on things. I used to doubt myself and think people were better than me because they’ve got this [qualification], or they’ve been there [clubs, courses], but now I’ve been somewhere and I can bring something different to the table."
Moulton cites the influence of Wayne Allison, FA coach inclusion and diversity manager, as an influential part of her development.
"Wayne has monthly meetings with all of the mentees," said Moulton. "Whenever you ask a question, he asks a question back, and then you come to realise that in your question you have the answer yourself. He’s been great at getting you to think of things, instead of giving you all the answers."
Although Moulton could hardly be more complimentary of the opportunities afforded by the programme, she is fiercely ambitious and will only feel satisfied with her year of learning if it translates into the football role she wants.
"It’ll become worth it if in five years I have the job that I want," she stresses.
"At the moment it has given me a lot of different experiences, but until I have a role I don’t know how beneficial it actually has been. I don’t want to rule any future role out.
"The job ideas I have are all learning and development focused: coaching or coach education. Whether it is teaching or coaching, I see the process as the same – it is just the audience which changes.”
Alena Moulton left her role at Nottingham Forest Women in July 2019.