Balmain & District FC host successful coaches clinic

Balmain & District Football Club ran a successful Coaches Clinic with former Socceroo and SBS Football Analyst Craig Foster.

Despite the heat at Waterfront Oval, about 100 coaches attended the event. 

The club was pleased to start the clinic with a welcome message from Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne.

Foster took Balmain & District FC’s junior coaches through a two and a half hour session focused on key development stages for junior players, skill acquisition exercises, and new concepts to enhance development and game understanding for junior players.  

About 40 players, ranging in age U7 to U12, helped Foster demonstrate the concepts through a series of drills.

Following lunch the focus was coaching senior players with 25 of the club players working through the drills. Foster took Balmain senior coaches through game situations and strategy, and provided new training principles for our older groups.

Foster was pleased the event attracted many BDFC coaches:

"It’s always great to see so many coaches volunteering their weekends to support grassroots football.  

“Like so many of our clubs, Balmain DFC is bursting at the seams with kids and community coaches play a critical role in providing an environment that is both enjoyable and conducive to learning and growing as a player.

“I congratulate and thank all of our community coaches for their support and encourage them to keep learning."

BDFC makes coaching education a priority and will continue to source opportunities for our coaching community. 

The club is particularly pleased to attract someone Foster’s caliber to collaborate with our Coaching staff in developing our volunteer coaches. 

Both new and experienced coaches found the session valuable, and everyone left with a Training Guide developed by Foster.

"As the largest community sports club in NSW, we feel an even greater responsibility to support the development of volunteer soccer coaches,” said David Birds, BDFC President.

“Craig is not only a well-known player, but a fantastic teacher of our game. Our coaches found the day very valuable, and have some new coaching strategies to use as we kick-off our 2016 season.”

The event was provided by the club’s sponsor, AutoSports Group, who also brought along some fun cars and helped the club offer a fundraising raffle of a weekend drive in one of their prestige vehicles.

“Sponsor support is critical for community football clubs, and the event with Craig Foster was only possible through the generous support of AutoSports Group." stated David Birds.