Coaches gather in Rocky for clinic

Alan Kennedy


THERE are always rows about football coaching techniques, the one thing where there is agreement is coaching children in all facets of the game is important.

WHILE there are always arguments about football coaching techniques, the one thing where there is agreement is coaching children in all facets of the game is important, and that is where Blair Grice comes into it.

Grice, along with Roy Bob and Glenn Sheppard, are coaches for the Total Football Academy (TFA) and next month they will bring some high-profile coaches to Rockhampton to assist with a clinic.

This is the third year Grice has been involved with TFA and it will also be the third year founder Adem Poric has come to the city to assist with the clinic.

Poric played professional football at Sheffield Wednesday and when he returned to Australia retained those club links through TFA.

The academy, through Poric, maintains a scouting network where promising Australian young players get an opportunity to work at the Sheffield Wednesday youth academy.

Grice said this year Jarrod Kyle of the Gold Coast had been invited to return to England in July and sign as an academy apprentice.

Assistant head coach of the Wednesday youth academy is Nev Burbeary and he will accompany Poric to Rockhampton for the four-day clinic which will be held at the Rockhampton Grammar School.

“The clinic will be from July 5 to 8,” Grice said. The prospect of having Burbeary, who holds a EUFA (Europe) A Licence to coach, is not only exciting for the young players, but also for Grice and Rockhampton coaches.

“The kids will be getting access to current European coaching methods and we will be learning for ourselves to bring those methods into our own program,” he said.

As with the last visit, the sessions will be conducted in the inflatable football fields which children enjoy.

As an organiser Grice said bringing high-profile coaches to the area was costly and had been assisted by business people Kerrie and Arthur Marshall from Rocky’s Burger Shack.

Grice said the clinic would be limited to just 80 nominations and for further information he can be contacted on 0400 033 989.


http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2010/06/15/coaching-rockhampton-sport-football/