Elite Goalkeeper Academy 2015 REVIEW
2015 was the year that Steven Rodden decided to take Elite Goalkeeper Academy into full time operation, he left his job late 2014 to focus all his attentions on sports coaching alongside his other business venture, Fundamental Sports Coaching, which provides sports coaching and multi skills lessons to Primary Schools around the North East.
As with any new business, things started off slowly for us in 2015 with only 3 clubs receiving regular coaching along with a regular Tuesday group session being attended by 10-15 keepers per week and a small number of goalkeepers receiving regular one on one training. We had Steven as a full time coach with Dan on work experience and Ross working on a part time basis.
February seen Elite Goalkeeper Academy and Steven focus all their efforts on the first Goalkeeper Camp by running a February Half Term Camp at Heworth Grange School over 3 days which had over 25 budding young goalkeepers in attendance. The 1st camp was a huge learning curve for all coaches involved but on reflection it went extremely well with all goalkeepers enjoying their experience, albeit a little tired towards the end of the 3rd day!
Easter came around quickly which enabled us to open our doors to yet more goalkeepers during our Easter Goalkeeper Camp in which we themed each 2 day session at differing locations. There were lessons to be learned with regards the marketing of the camps and also locations which worked and didn’t, having only been able to run 3 of the 4 camps due to numbers and also experiencing lower numbers on 1 of our courses. Also, we will now be running more comprehensive camps going forward to incorporate all aspects of goalkeeping to give a greater experience to all goalkeepers.
After Easter it was quickly on to offering our services out to more Grassroots Clubs around the North East with the end of the season fast approaching. We had quickly grown from coaching within 3 Grassroots Clubs to 9 Grassroots Clubs, such growth required us to take on more coaches and adding another 2 high quality coaches enabled us to offer more quality training to our clubs. Summer also presented a unique opportunity to Steven Rodden, he was contacted by Carlisle United about a Goalkeeper Coaching role within the Development Centre and Academy on the back of a recommendation from Stu Purvis. This opportunity was quickly snapped up and Steven began working with the u15 & 16 goalkeepers until the u9 – u14 goalkeepers returned from their preseason break. Around this time Steven was also accepted on to a UEFA B Course with great help from Hebburn Town FC of the Northern League. This was another huge step in the right direction for the vision of Elite Goalkeeper Academy.
Towards the last 3 months of the year we were regularly coaching within 9 Grassroots Clubs, providing coaching to a Professional Club and were also providing regular one on one coaching to over 15 goalkeepers per week. We needed a new challenge, something to provide more high quality training to more young goalkeepers around the North East. Then if by chance, we received an email from a new training facility in Newcastle enquiring if we’d like to use their facilities for goalkeeper training. Once we viewed the facility it was all agreed, we’d provide our training from this base and work in 8 weeks blocks for 1 hour per week. Our 8 Week Goalkeeping Masterclass proved to be popular with 18 goalkeepers aged 6-15 had signed up for our 1st 8 week block. We based our training around an Academy syllabus and kept all goalkeepers busy by working in smaller groups, all goalkeepers served and lines were kept to a minimum where the exercise allowed.
In 2015 we also struck up a partnership with International Goalkeeping Brand HO Soccer. This partnership has enabled us to provide all our young goalkeepers with top quality goalkeeping products at fantastic discounted rates. We feel this is a huge step forward and is recognition of just how far we’ve come in 12 months to be recognised by such a reputable brand.
On the back of 2015 I’d like to say a massive thank you to all the parents and clubs that have entrusted us to work with their young goalkeepers. Without you our growth wouldn’t be possible and we wouldn’t be able to continue to provide the training we do.
A huge thank you goes out to all the coaches who have helped out over the year; Ross Morecroft, Lee Burrell, Steve Brass, Danny Lister and a special thank you and good luck to Dan Gourley who is leaving us to pursue a career in teaching. Dan will be cutting back on hours to focus on teacher training having been accepted on to a course at Durham University. Dan has grown as a coach and person over the past 12-18 months having volunteered his time to learn, observe and put in to practice all that he has learned at University and working with myself. He is a true credit to himself, working all hours of the day with his University work and coaching. He’s been a huge hep to myself and without a doubt will be a huge loss.
2016 OVERVIEW
2016 will hopefully be another huge year of growth for Elite Goalkeeper Academy. We’ve already put in place new features to help on the operational side of the business with a new Card Reader enabling parents to pay on the day and a mobile app which will allow parents to pay for our services on the day via their mobile phones.
We’re also continuing with our 8 Week Masterclasses with 12 of 16 spaces already filled by our previous group of keepers.
We’ve already agreed to provide our services to 2 more Grassroots clubs, with more on the way.
We will continue to run Goalkeeper Camps during School Holidays at selected locations around the North East and possible North West in association with Carlisle United FC.
Steven is getting down to the business end of his UEFA B Qualification with Assessment due in May, he’s also going through his Youth Module 3/Youth Award in March and is booked to go through the UEFA B Goalkeeping Course in June.
Finally, we are looking to run a huge Goalkeeper Wars event in the North East with the final touches being put into place with regards a venue and main event sponsor, which should all be tied up early January.
We’re really looking forward to a busy, fun filled 2016 and we hope you can join us on our journey!