FA Level 1 Coaching Courses specifically tailored towards players and coaches in Soccability and female football have been well-received according to Essex County FA Development Officer Cindi Chatha, who reinforced: “We’re committed to promoting equality.”

A Disability Level 1 Course has been hosted at the University of Essex in Colchester from April until the end of June, while a Female-Only Level 1 also started in early May and is ongoing across a number of weekends at Writtle University College in Chelmsford.

The FA’s Level 1 in Coaching Football Course provides learners with an introduction to coaching the game and working with players from the Under 7s age group right through to open-age. The Level 1 is the first stepping-stone on the core coaching pathway.

The Disability Level 1 was aimed towards individuals with a disability or impairment, or those looking to work within the disability game. A total of 14 attended, including players from various Soccability clubs as well as people who are looking to become involved within the disability game. The content of the course was exactly the same as all other Level 1s delivered.

One change was it was spread over a longer period, allowing learners to process the information and deliver more effectively within their club environment. Additional support, from FA Coach Mentors, was available at the course to support the learners and ensure they understood the content. The learners will also be supported post-course with their ongoing learning.

“As a County we are committed to promoting equality across the whole organisation and the whole game,” Cindi explained. “We deliver a number of Level 1s, whether they are for disability, BAME [Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic] or females. 50% of the population is female, but less than 10% of football, at present, is being played by women. The stats are even lower for BAME and disability.”

“Data from previous seasons shows that 85% of courses are attended by males. These Level 1s ensure we are taking positive action to address this and ensure we increase the number of females, BAME and disability representation across the game.”

One of the candidates on the Disability Level 1 was Disability4Sport player Jamie Sach. He said: “I’m looking to coach more within the disability game and this course boosted my confidence to try and achieve that goal. I’m finding the course content interesting and relevant. I’ve enjoyed putting sessions together and I liked the interaction with the different teams and players.”

To book a place on a forthcoming football coaching course with the Essex County FA, visit the 'Coaches' menu above. Information is also shared by @EssexCountyFA and @EssexCoaches on Twitter and on the ‘EssexFootball’ Facebook page.