Shonelle Stephen at Arsenal FC - The Brewster Trust

THE BREWSTER TRUST, football charity, Barbados

Shonelle Stephen has been awarded most outstanding participant “Coaching the coaches” at the Football Holiday Camp 2013. The local coach got an invitation to the Arsenal Gap Year programme 2014/2015 for three weeks including accommodation in England as well as travel cost. Her programme started on Monday, 4th August 2014, and she returns to Barbados on Saturday, 23rd August 2014. Here we collect the impressions Shonelle sent us from London:

Departure

Saturday, 2nd August 2014, 6.05pm, BA2154 with an arrival at Gatwick the next day at 7.10am. Bob picked up Shonelle at the airport to drive her to the accommodation close to the Emirates.

4th August 2014

Today we basically went through the introductory part of the program. The team was introducded then we went through some house keeping, Do’s and Don’ts. We did a couple of bounding or team building exercises . E.g.: We were split into groups of six and we had to get one person through a piece of A4 paper without breaking the edges. Lol, that was challenging.
For our afternoon session we went through the five basic components of a training session like the warm up, technical aspect and its progressions match, cool down and the talk or review. After each drill we had to give feedback or say the different progressions or changes we would make you suit certain situations. Today I learn that you get back what you put in.

5th August 2014

Today we did a continuation of yesterdays dribbling drills. There were about five persons coach had picked out to carry these drills. I was Omel’s partner. Each coach had to show different drills based on the templates we were given on day one. All the coaches that carried sessions did a pretty good job for a first session.
We were all able to give each other various feedback some positive and negative. My key thought for today is as a coach while giving instruction for a drill be clear when giving instructions, give demonstrations.

6th August 2014

Today we did Dribbling continuation off the past few days. Dribbling is running with the ball at speed but the ball is under your full control. One of yesterdays basic warm ups was hand ball. Jason one of the Gappers took the session. We were divided into two teams and a goal could only be scored by a header. We also went through some variations in football tennis. Today as coaches we were put on the spot to come up with drills of our own.

7th August 2014

Today’s topic was Turns. We went through several turns e.g. inside and outside cut and the pull back. We were shown how to be resourceful, we took just three cones turned it into a basic template set up of a triangle and we each brought different variations to the table. We were thought a warm up called Domes and Dishes. This was a really interesting warm up drill; a dome was a cone correctly placed and a dish was a cone up side down.

8th August 2014

Today was our tour of the Emirates Stadium. “The home of Arsenal”. Arsenal also known as “The Gunners”. Arsenal was funded in 1886, the Emirates stadium holds about 60,000.Â Arsenal has the most played games unbeaten 49 games beating the previous record of 42 games by Nottingham. Arsenal have won 11 FA cups, 13 First division and Premier league titles, 18 FA cup finals appearances; 2013-2014 FA cup winners.
After the tour we had a workshop session with Jack. We did a team building exercise we were in groups of 4 each group was given a piece of foil and we had the create one animal that represented us in the group. Jack went through the structure of the Gap program.

11th – 15th August 2014

On Monday 11th I started my Level 1 course. My tutor and assessor wasTom Youlden. FA Emergency Aid and FA Safeguarding Children Workshop were also certigicate courses in my level 1.
Level 1 consisted of a mock practical exam done in pairs, my partner and myself did a drill called Robin Hood.
On Wednesday was our Emergency Aid and Safeguarding Children Workshop. In Emergency Aid we went through things like CPR, children with asthma, head injuries. All done as a practical we also did the recovery position. Safeguarding is about the children welfare. All children have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, culture.
For my final assessment my drill was “See It Do It”; In a nut shell its 7v3 starting with a overload, working on keeping possession team work and communication. Its a drill that you have lots of movement see the pass do it.
I was assessed and now I have my level 1.

18th & 19th August 2014

On these two days we had our usual coaching education but the morning sessions was Jack and his team educating us about some of the other programs Arsenal have. I’ll share the two that stood out.
There is the kick project (they work eith the police and some other organisations): This is a project design to help young people in high risk communities. High risk meaning villages with the most crime and drop outs. They would meet in these areas like twice a week and play football, mostly matches. There are a lot of success stories some are draft into youth teams and become professional footballers. While there are some that goes into the system.
There is the Freedom from Torture Project: this is for men who have been tortured. Men come from all over the world to be a part of this Arsenal in the Community project. The Arsenal team would go during the day. They play football and are given english classes, some even do their level 1.

20th to 23rd August 2014

During these sessions we recapped on what we have been doing over the past week. Things like turns, cone roads, passing, dribbling, etc. As part of that we as coaches had to come up with ways to progress the sessions. We did sessions on being able to adapt (e.g.) not enough equipment, rain falling, being able to work through uprising situations.
On Friday my final day we did some sessions with Alan. Prep for school with small facilities. We went through some sessions that would be more appropriate in small field situations. Alan’s session was very informative.