CPST Launches Coaching Bursary Initiative
The Crystal Palace Supporters’ Trust (CPST) has launched an initiative to help boost the number and quality of football coaches while also benefiting the local community.
Accredited football coaching courses can cost from £150 to more than £3,000, which can be a struggle for many people, therefore CPST has launched a coaching bursary scheme to financially support people involved in local community football projects to either become newly qualified as coaches or to improve existing coaches’ qualifications.
The scheme is open to both male and female coaches.
Alan Palmer, chairman of CPST, explained: “Whether you’re a player, a parent or are already involved with football coaching informally, taking a course to get your coaching badges is a great way to help your local community and club.
“The grassroots game is desperately in need of formally qualified coaches and in recent years the Football Association has invested a huge amount of time, money and expertise to improve and extend the quality of coaching training available at all levels of the game.”
David Matthews, Whyteleafe FC youth team manager and Crystal Palace Ladies under 12 head coach, added: “I’ve been coaching in football (full time or part time) for close to 10 years now and one of the most challenging aspects of being a coach that spends time doing it in voluntary roles is affording the cost of the numerous coaching courses available.
“I completed my UEFA B Licence (FA Level 3) last year and that cost me just under £700; given the duration of the course (it’s a 9 month course) I considered that good value for money due to content and quality of the course delivery. However, for many coaches in grass roots football, the cost of other FA courses are still pretty high and puts so many coaches off wanting to complete them.
“I think making funding available for coaches who want to improve as coaches and help in the development of the players that they are working with can only be a positive. It will hopefully lead to a better standard of coaching at grass roots level, which is desperately needed, and in the long term, improve the standard of players also playing at that level.”
Anyone interested in applying for funding needs to fill out an application form stating the level of funding they require. Applicants will need to provide evidence that they are involved in coaching at an appropriate level and give a commitment of at least one season.
Please click here for the form; once complete send to cpstrust@hotmail.com with subject header “Coaching Bursary Application”.
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