SIR STANLEY MATTHEWS
FOUNDATION
The Sir Stanley Matthews Skills Programme is a specialist football skills programme which helps grassroots football clubs deliver high quality 1 v 1 training for players of all ages and abilities.
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Stanley Matthews played his entire career as a winger. His main objective was to receive the ball on the wing, take on and beat the opposition full back and play in a cross for one of his team-mates to get on the end of and score a goal. He did this with devastating consistency week after week and he was known as one of the most exciting attacking players in world football. Pele stated that Stan 'taught the world how football should be played', high praise indeed from someone often regarded as the greatest player of all time!
Football has changed dramatically since the days of Stanley Matthews and Pele. The boots, the footballs, the pitches, the technology and the wages are all a million miles away from when Sir Stan graced the pitch. However, there are some things which don't change - supporters still want to see exciting football, they still want to see those skillful players with a bit of flair take on the opposition, to see the maverick dancing his way past defenders and putting one in the top corner. It's not a coincidence that football supporters across every corner of the planet know and remember players like Stanley Matthews and George Best, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane.
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The Skills Programme is a supplementary programme for grassroots clubs, providing a simple to follow method of delivering 1 v 1 training which tailors in with your existing club training schedule. At the Foundation we work with grassroots clubs every day of the week. We understand how difficult it can be for busy coaches to come up with engaging training sessions focused on this specific area. Our programme gives you the tools to deliver 6 sessions which will improve your players in 1 v 1 situations. We look at areas like speed over the first 5 yards, ball control, ball skills, confidence and even nutrition to gain that little bit of an edge.
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So how does it work?
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There are two versions of the programme:- an individual version for coaches signing up independently or a club version.
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The programmes differ slightly in their format but all coaches receive the following:
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- access to our online training modules covering Leadership and Teamwork
- a full day of face-to-face training either at a location near you (individual version) or at your club (club version)
- a detailed workbook outlining the full programme
- an exclusive invitation to our Soccer Duos regional tournament, with the potential for your players to compete at national level
- a year long membership to the Matthews Coaching Network, with access to additional material throughout the year as well as invitation to member only events
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To participate you will either need to register as an individual or as a club. You can register by filling in the form below
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Who is the programme designed for?
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Ultimately anyone can benefit from the programme. It is designed primarily, however, for grassroots coaches who want to develop their players and who want to gain specialist coaching knowledge.
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Are there different levels of the programme?
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Yes, initially all coaches completing the course, provided they meet the standard required, will be awarded a Sir Stanley Matthews bronze certificate. They can then go on to complete silver and gold awards if they wish, which incorporate skills, coach education and teamplay but also cover further topics such as leadership, teamwork, resilience and nutrition.
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Why provide this kind of programme?
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The Sir Stanley Matthews Foundation's objectives are to see more young people playing and enjoying sport, and to develop and help grassroots sports organisations. We also want to carry on the legacy of Sir Stanley Matthews. He is arguably England's greatest ever footballer but after his playing career ended he spent many years coaching young people all over the world. Part of the Foundation's remit is to honour his memory and carry on the work he started.
When is the next course due to run?
At the moment the programme is only running in the Leeds area. However, if you live elsewhere and want to run a course at your club please contact us directly and we will organise a suitable date as soon as possible. For individuals, we will be running a course in early 2023 (date and venue TBC). If you would like to attend please register your interest using the form below and we will be in touch to confirm dates and venue as soon as possible.
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