Why not get involved and become a coach?

As with any form of football the role a coach plays in the development of players is a key position – good coaches have the ability to manage the difference in their players whether they are in an elite squad or a local grassroots team, if you have chosen to work with players who have a disability the same principles apply.

The Football Association has worked to improve and build on the original Coaching Disabled Footballers Course (published in 2000) to ensure that the current course format reflects the changing needs of players and coaches. Disability Football is embedded in The Football Association’s National Game Strategy and as a result the expectations of disabled players have risen accordingly.

England’s disability teams sit high in the world rankings and an increasing number of disabled players want the opportunity to play at the highest levels. Good coaching at grassroots level and within the Talent Pathway is essential if players are to maximise their full potential. The CDF Course aims to provide coaches with tips and guidance on how to adapt, where necessary, to include players with a disability in regular coaching sessions at your school or club.

To complement the generic nature of the CDF Course a number of impairment specific workshops have been created to support coaches who have a particular interest in increasing their knowledge of working with particular impairment groups, these currently cater for Coaching Deaf Footballers and Coaching Blind Footballers.  All these workshops are organised by County FAs contact your nearest one for further details.  

The FA has also approved a course in Coaching Wheelchair Football which is delivered by the Wheelchair Football Association, a link to their website can be found Here

Of equal importance is that we attract, support and retain some of the best coaches to work with players within the various disability programmes, to assist with this a similar pathway for coaches has been designed