Bursary boost from league's coaching fund

Stourbridge are looking forward to reaping the rewards of the EVO-STIK League’s Coaching Development Fund.

The Glassboys, who only joined the Northern Premier League this season, became the latest club to take advantage of the bursary scheme when former Kidderminster Harriers coach Steve Fellows collected his funding award from the EVO-STIK League’s development officer Mark Ogley before last Saturday’s clash with Curzon Ashton.

Fellows is pictured receiving his bursary cheque for £300 at the War Memorial Athletic Ground. On a day of double celebrations, the club’s local MP Margot James also officially opened their refurbished changing rooms, made possible by a grant of £46,615 from Sport England's Inspired Facilities Fund.

The Football Association part fund the bursaries to support the EVO-STIK League’s on-going drive to raise standards with fifty per cent of the costs to gain FA and UEFA coaching badges funded for candidates who have up to three years to complete the courses at a variety of venues.

Ogley administers the scheme which is also open to coaches who’ve already booked or started courses. He was delighted to hand over the first cheque of the season and said: "It was extra special to present the cheque to Steve on the club's community day and opening of their new changing facilities by a local MP. The scheme is open to all the league's coaches to help them and their clubs develop and it was great to get the ball rolling this season in such a fantastic atmosphere."

Fellows only joined the Glassboys this season as part of a restructuring of the club's youth structures following their switch by the FA from the Southern League. As a result, the club now employs five coaches who are all either UEFA A or B qualified to run 16 teams with each responsible for at least two age groups.

Birmingham City are also supporting their efforts and the Glassboys’ officials are hoping that Fellows, who is already responsible for coaching the U11s and U12s in the Midland Junior Premier League, will be able to help them train even more coaches to expand their efforts thanks to the award.

Stourbridge spokesman and secretary Clive Eades said: "The gracious award from the league will help Steve with his personal goals to improve his own coaching ability and certificates which he can use to pass onto the children under his tutelage. We hope to be reaping the potential rewards of this in seasons to come."

More information on the FA Level 2 courses can be accessed through local County FAs with information on the UEFA B courses available on the FA Learning website. For further information club secretaries and coaches should contact Mark Ogley via email at: ogsshae@hotmail.com.

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