Spotlight: Coach Neil
Our final Coach Spotlight of 2017 focuses on Coach Neil, an experienced futsal coach who works with a Premier League academy as well as being an FA coach educator. Neil is a UEFA B licensed futsal coach and also holds the FA Youth Award.
Why did you decide to become a private coach?
Mainly from working with a few academy players individually with great results. I felt it was now time to help others; using my experiences and passion to help every kind of player improve regardless of their standard.
What do you enjoy most about coaching?
I get a real buzz from seeing players improve and realising that with belief and the right sense of direction you can achieve your goals.
What can a client expect from private lessons with you?
I always try to make my sessions fun and engaging but I expect hard work and a great attitude to learn as these are the ingredients to improving. Some of the methods may be unorthodox but they work! My methods can differ to others but they are unique and have proven to be successful.
What is your coaching style or philosophy?
My coaching style is very much based around getting the best from every child by trying things and seeing what works with each individual. It’s a bit like a chemistry lesson, we will experiment and see what happens and what works best. I use futsal techniques with a lot of ball manipulation to help grow confidence and a freedom of expression. Players are challenged appropriately, with the chance for them to make individual decisions and to learn through discovery in a fun, safe and nurturing environment
Describe your ideal client?
My Ideal client is someone who has ambition to become both a better player and a better person which I feel go hand in hand. Someone who flourishes when out of their comfort zone and has the desire and commintment to succeed. I welcome all athletes who want to improve, whether that’s a beginner or elite academy player.
Do you have any success stories from coaching an athlete?
Over the years I’ve coached many players of all abilities. To date, I have had one player who has gone on to become a professional footballer and is currently playing for Bury FC, as well as many others who have gone on to sign at pro club academies. One of the players I work with who is just 15 has been called up to the England U-19’s futsal squad (December 2017) which is a great achievement at such a young age.
What is your favourite sports related movie?
‘The Class of 92’ – Amazing that the same group of players went so far on their footballing journey, an inspiration to all young players of both futsal and football.
Who is your favourite coach and why? (real or fictional)
Now that’s a tough one but I’d say on my coaching journey there are three main people who I look to have enthused me; Pete Strugess, Ian Bateman and Michael Skubala.
Did you have any coaches growing up that had a big influence on you?
Not really, but I got into coaching mainly because when my first child was young and started to be coached, I felt I could do better than the coaches who trained him. This gave me the kick-start to get into coaching and it basically took off from there back in 2005
Did you ever receive one-to-one coaching when you were growing up? If so, what impact did that have on you as a player?
Unfortunately I didn’t, but I did practise with a friend and between us we would urge each other to keep trying harder. This was one of the reasons that fuelled my passion for coaching; to help individuals become better and reach their goals, as I know I can make the difference on every child’s futsal and football journey.
If you would like to book a private coaching session with Coach Neil, click on the link below which will take you to his coach profile page https://coachout.co.uk/coachprofile/coach-neil-l
