On Wednesday 24th April students studying Coaching, Teaching and Instructing Football Level 2/3 Diploma at Bridgwater College and Bristol City Community Trust came together along with internal applicants for the coming year to discuss the course and current student’s progression.

The event began in the Lecture Theatre at Bridgwater College where students from both campuses (Bridgwater College and Bristol City Community Trust) were fully engaged in a presentation and discussion regarding each course Levels progressions.
The courses are:

Coaching, Teaching and Instructing Football Level 2 (Bristol City Community Trust or Bridgwater College)

Coaching Teaching and Instructing Football Level 3 (Bristol City Community Trust or Bridgwater College)

Whether studying at Bridgwater College or Bristol City Community Trust the Coaching, Teaching and Instructing Football Level 2 & 3 Diplomas enables students to develop and learn about being a professional football coach and provide a valuable platform for students. The students gain a wealth of coaching experience as well as several qualifications to equip them to work within the football industry, through both theory and practical elements. These include FA Emergency First Aid, FA Child Protection and Safeguarding, 1st4Sport Football Association Certificate in Coaching Football Level 1 & 2.

Past students from the course were invited to the event to show case what they have achieved since they successfully completed the two year course and allow current and new students an opportunity to ask them questions.

Ex-student’s Matthew Ford and Sam Bailey-Hockin both completed the course last year and have both been successful in obtaining work as a football coach. Matthew Ford spoke to the students about coaching for Arsenal Soccer Schools, and Somerset FA Girls Centre of Excellence where he is the head coach of the under elevens. Sam Bailey-Hockin spoke to the students about combining working as a support teacher and football coach in a primary school, and completing the Level 3 Support, Teaching and Learning in Schools qualification at Bridgwater College. Both Matthew and Sam have also accepted offers to coach in America this summer with Challenger Sports.

After the presentations and discussions all the students took part in a 9 a side football tournament where the students played in mixed teams. After the fun of playing the students showed their support for the Bridgwater College’s Men’s Elite Development Squad by watching there British Colleges National Quarter Final match against Newcastle upon Lyme. It was a very entertaining match that resulted in a 3-2 win for Bridgwater College; the Semi-Final match will be played at Bridgwater College on Wednesday 8th May (opponents to be announced).

For further details or to apply for the Coaching, Teaching and Instructing Football Level 2 or 3 Diploma at Bristol City Community Trust or Bridgwater College please visit our website – www.bridgwatercollege.ac.uk

Next interviews at Bristol City FC are Thursday 20th June @ 7pm. If you would like to book a place on this evening then please contact ian.parkes@bcfc.co.uk

On Friday, April 26th Currys and PC World store Winterstoke Road made a kind donation of a 40″ Panasonic Viera television to display our videos in the office.

Currys and PC World will be re opening their store on Friday, May 24th and would like as many people as possible to pop in and take a look around the store. The staff will be holding a raffle where all money raised will be passed onto the Trust to continue their life changing work in Bristol.

The Trust would like to pass on a warm thank you to Currys and PC World for their kindness.

Bristol City Community Trust would like to extend congratulations to keen footballer and City supporter Lucas Morgan.

The young enthusiast dribbled around his school’s cycle track to raise funds for Red Nose Day at the end of March.

Bristol City FC donated two tickets to the Bolton Wanderers game to assist with his fundraising.

Lucas has been attending one of the Trust’s player development centres at Abbeywood School on a Tuesday evening for over a year now and also plays for local grassroots club Avon Athletic.

If you are interested in signing up a child, aged 5-8 or 9-12, then please contact the Community Trust on 0117 963 0636 or watch this small clip.

Matthew Smith, aged nine, won a Gold Star award from the Bristol Post newspaper after having one of his legs amputated and beating cancer.

And as an added bonus, on hearing his story, City invited Matthew to be a mascot in front of 12,000 fans last night, enjoying a kickaround with his beloved players and leading them out on to the pitch.

After walking out on crutches and posing for the cameras, the delighted youngster said: “I saw a lot of fans and the floodlights were bright and I was nervous.

“But I had a brilliant time. I was passing the ball around on the pitch with the other mascots. I also had a look around the whole stadium and got the players’ autographs.”

His father Colin Smith said it had been a dream come true for his son.

“He was really chuffed and you could see it meant a lot to him,” he said.

After developing leg pains, tests revealed Matthew had bone cancer. There was hope that his leg could be saved through chemotherapy but the tumour spread up his thigh, giving doctors no option but to amputate.

Since his operation in April last year, Matthew has learnt to walk again using a prosthetic leg and everyone at Ashton Gate was delighted to see the local fan on the pitch last night.

Bristol City Community Trust has successfully been running its Education Department with approximately 100 students, for nearly two years. Thanks to the fantastic work done by the students, staff and volunteers, we are delighted to say that several of our students have been offered places at some of the country’s top universities such as Loughborough, Exeter, Bath and Birmingham, enabling them to fulfil their future ambitions working in the world of sport. Others have decided to combine studying part time whilst working in specific sports coaching roles, and some are looking for opportunities away from sport.

All our students, who will be at least 18 years old, have a wide range of skills and abilities. They will either have gained a BTEC level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport (equivalent to 3 A levels) or an NVQ Level 3 in Coaching, Teaching and Instructing football. This is where YOU may be able to help the Trust by continuing to build on their excellent work by giving these young people the opportunity to work.

We are looking for employers who have or who could create vacancies either full time, part time, apprenticeships or work experience. Do you own or work for a company who could help? Students are available to undertake work experience at any time, although they will only be available for employment when they complete their current course in July.

If you think you could help us, please contact ian.parkes@bcfc.co.uk either by phone or email for more details. We would love to hear from you.

City’s players have once again been out and about supporting the Community Trust, this time during their Easter coaching courses.

Liam Fontaine and Albert Adomah visited Action Indoor Sports in Whitchurch for a session children of a variety of ages.

The pair got fully involved, captaining a team each during a match and also talking to the youngsters about life as a professional footballer.

Goalkeepers Dean Gerken and Dylan Castanheira were at Abbeywood School in Filton for another fun coaching session aimed at six to 13-year-olds.

Meanwhile, Greg Cunningham and Brendan Moloney were invited to Gordano School for a third Community Trust session of the day, assisting with the coaching.

Community is one of the club’s five pillars with which the future of the club is focused upon and the support of the players is key.

The Trust will be out and about again next week for the return of their Bristol City coaching sessions.

These will take place at Abbeywood School, Filton (football and goalkeeping coaching); Action Indoor Sports, Whitchurch (futsal coaching); Bristol Metropolitan, Fishponds (football coaching); Gordano School, Portishead (football coaching) and Keynsham Town FC (football coaching).

The age groups of the sessions vary from five to 12 for coaching sessions, up to 16 for futsal, but still cost only £4! Get in touch with the Trust on 0117 963 0636 for more details or to book.

Since launching Walking Football for over-55s in January, the Community Trust project has gone from strength to strength.

After starting with just one participant on a cold Thursday morning, the session now has over 12 regular attendees.

The last two weeks have really put into perspective how far the group has come.

The sessions are programmed to run every week, excluding school holidays. However, the group has taken it upon themselves to run the session during the last fortnight – not even needing the assistance of a coach and organising times amongst themselves.

A walking football participant told bcfc.co.uk: “The sessions are fun and we’ve made some good friends out of it. It’s an enjoyable game and you can see the reaction it’s had by the number of us that keep coming back!”

The sessions run every Tuesday morning, between 11-12pm, in the Community Park by coach Billy Downes. Participants are taken through various ball skills and match-play situations.

The session is available to males and females of all abilities. The only thing stipulation is it is for over-55s – and participants must walk whilst playing.

Sessions cost £2 a week and afterwards there is opportunity to go into one of the stadium rooms to have a catch up, reminisce and enjoy a warm drink.

For more information please call the Community Trust on 0117 963 0636.

City and Bristol Academy have begun teaming up in the local community.

Last week City’s community coach Mollie Stevens assisted Bristol Academy in running the Gloucestershire FA futsal festival.

In total 44 girls attended the session at the City Academy in Redfield, where they were able to learn new skills and play futsal for free.

Ann-Marie Heatherson, Laura Del Rio and Natalia Pablos Sanchon from Bristol Academy also took the coaching sessions and refereed the matches.

Vicky Barlow, community officer, said: “A key part of our partnership with Bristol Academy is utilising the strengths of both community teams for the betterment of the region.

“With Bristol City and Bristol Academy working together, it can only improve the quality of the coaching and also help promote women’s and girls’ football in Bristol.”

Everyone at the Community Trust would like to wish luck to our educational scholarship lead Ian Parkes as he attempts to help England Futsal qualify for the 2014 European Championships.

The striker was part of the national futsal squad that overcame Lithuania and Cyprus in February to make it through to the Main Qualifying Round.

Parkes is now in Turkey for a four-team round-robin, where there is the chance to book a spot in the 2014 European Championships, to be held in Belgium.

By reaching the Main Qualifying Round, England Futsal have already ventured into new territory.

They face Ukraine today (March 27th), Turkey tomorrow (March 28th) and Slovenia on Saturday (March 30th).

Parkes joined the Trust in 2011 to strengthen our educational arm, and he plays for Team Bath Fustal.