Coach Adam.
Football has been part of my life since I first pulled on my boots at six years old. Almost 30 years of playing gave me far more than something to do on a weekend. It gave me lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories, much-needed banter at times and an escape from everyday life.
A serious accident and major back surgery eventually brought my playing days to an unexpected end. Losing something that had been such a big part of my life was difficult, but it also made me realise just how much football had given me.
That realisation became one of the biggest reasons BYB exists today.
I discovered that helping young people experience the game could be every bit as rewarding as playing it myself. Seeing a child master something new, overcome a challenge or simply leave the pitch smiling is what coaching is all about for me.
I’m also dad to two football-obsessed boys. Being a football parent and grassroots coach has reinforced my belief that children can learn an enormous amount through the game that has nothing to do with kicking a ball.
One of my sons, who is a goalkeeper, also has additional needs. That has taught me that children don’t all learn, communicate or develop in the same way. And they shouldn’t have to. Every child deserves to feel understood, supported and able to progress from wherever their own starting point happens to be.
That’s what I want BYB to provide: brilliant football coaching, but also an experience children can look back on and recognise everything else the game gave them along the way. Just as I eventually did.
