Follow EnglandPearce Takes Charge At St Albans City Youth For The Day
By Editor. Thursday, 15 November 2007.
England Under 21 Manager Stuart Pearce and goalkeepers Joe Hart (Man City) & Ben Alnwick (Spurs) were at Sandringham School in St Albans to the schools coaching sessions
England Under-21s are busy preparing for their sold out European Championship qualifier against Bulgaria in nearby Milton Keynes on 16 November but Pearce and some of his players took time out of their schedule to watch the school coaching sessions which are run and organised on a regular basis by St. Albans City Youth.
The coaching sessions, which are funded by a grant from FA supported sports charity, The Football Foundation, also includes local primary school, Wheatfields, are a big part of St. Albans City Youth’s community programme.
Club spokesperson, David Wray, commented: "The Football Foundation training grant allow the club's more experienced coaches to go out into the community and attract and train new young coaches.
“The aim is to develop the coaches to FA Level One standard so they gain career skills, become role models and become useful members of the local community.”
The club, founded in 1971, has trained over 60 young coaches to Level One standard to date and they also hold FA Charter Standard Community status which is an official seal of quality football provision from Soho Square.
St. Albans City Youth run over 37 teams for boys, girls and disabled players and are Hertfordshire FA’s Charter Standard Community Club of the Year.