Football coaching clinic finds its feet

Ross Kendall

Bouncing out of the COVID-19 shutdown of sport a small team of local coaches have started a fully mobile football development school to bridge the gap between community and elite football.

The OutoftheBox coaching team of Michael Leung, Andy Morrison and Albert Moses are all experienced coaches who have been a part of the Brunswick Valley Mullumbimby Football Club, as well as the Liverpool FC International Academy at the Southern Cross University.

When the SCU closed the academy as part of budget cuts they needed to find new work and saw an opportunity.

‘Collectively we saw a need for more guided learning and mentoring of players wanting to be more confident on the field, but who were maybe not quite at a level of technical ability or dedication to be considered for elite programs,’ Albert said.

‘We noted that the SCU football centre was re-inveting itself as the Northern Rivers Football Academy and saw an opportunity to fill that niche between community and elite football’.

‘One thing lead to another and we began by offering to help a small group of players from our club with some extra coaching sessions. This rapidly and organically grew into a few different pop up clinics in different locations,’ Albert said.

The team now does events such as school programs, one on one coaching, development squads and holiday clinics for local community clubs to complement the incredible work that volunteer coaches already do from week to week.

‘We also do great Champions League themed kids’ birthday parties,’ he said

OutoftheBox coaching are now offer a weekly program at the Cavanbah Centre on Tuesday afternoons and are encouraging both girls and boys to come along and get involved. The program will run in eight-week cycles to coincide with school terms and can even be partly paid for using Active Kids vouchers.

To get involved email: [email protected], go online at OutoftheBox, or phone: 0421 921 450 for more information.