Storey of a Football Coach
Local lad Nicholas Storey is a football coach who is going places having recently graduated at the mighty Wembley stadium!
20 year-old Nicholas, from Newbiggin, has been developing his coaching skills all over the country and is the first man from Northumberland to progress through three successive years of prestigious F.A. coaching.
He has also shared a lift with England boss Fabio Capello, and has experienced the excitement and euphoria of a World Cup.
Currently in his second year studying Sports Coaching at Sunderland University, Nick has been on quite a journey already. It began in 2008 when Ashington F.C., who Nick has played for since the age of 16, put him forward for the F.A. Young Leadership and Volunteer Camp in Nottingham, having coached youngsters there.
"If it wasn't for Steve Land at Ashington F.C., none of this would have taken off." said Nick.
In Nottingham, 150 young coaches, leaders and volunteers increased their knowledge in football, skills and coaching. Following on from that, the search began for eight young leaders to represent the Young Management Team for the following years camp at Warwick Uni.
Nick was chosen to and, subsequently, was responsible for leading workshops and developing disability programs, footsal, and increased his learning in sports psychology and received media training, which would come in handy later on, when he gave a speech at Wembley on graduation day.
"The F.A. camps give the coaches of tomorrow an insight into the many possibilities in football - in addition to being a football player." said Nick.
That wasn't to be the end of the F.A. adventure for Nick; he was one of four young coaches chosen to travel to South Africa the following summer, as part of the 'Changing Lives' program, during the 2010 World Cup.
An eye opening trip saw Nick and his fellow up and coming coaches working with children with HIV and delivering workshops to like-minded young leaders. The "life changing" experience also involved visiting orphanages and delivering coaching sessions to young children.
It was the South Africa trip that enabled Nick to come full circle; in three years he had progressed from a young leader to an F.A. mentor.
"There's a few people I need to thank." adds Nick. "As well as Steve Land at Ashington F.C. for allowing me to coach their under 7s at the age of 16. I'd like to strongly thank Hirst Welfare for giving me the chance to coach there.
"Also, I'd like to thank the staff at Ashington High (where Nick is the under 16s assistant coach) and of course, the Northumberland F.A."
This summer will see Nick add another continent to his impressive coaching CV, as he travels to sunny California to take part in six weeks of coaching sessions in Los Angeles.
Nick is hoping to continue his coaching career and has dreams of working as a football development officer, but would also love to become a P.E. teacher and to get alongside the next generation. "I've always worked with young people and love seeing them develop, as people as well as sports men and women."
He feels that this is only the beginning for him, and even has his very own motto which hangs on the walls at the F.A. HQ:
"You don't need to be great to start, you need to start to be great!
"I am proud to be the first bloke to come from Northumberland who has come through the F.A. volunteer program. Hopefully I'll go far but I'll always be an Ashington lad!"
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Was there ever a time in your life when you asked yourself why and what is your purpose? We often find ourselves in a dark place; desperate to see some enlightenment. Having to go through tough times alone can be disheartening without anyone to share our problems with. This ultimately affects how we function in society or more importantly our outward perception of the things around us. People in this regard are often detached and distant to say.