Sturgess, looking far younger than his 64 years, is the Football Association’s lead Foundation Phase coach (for five to 11-year-olds) and was in the Island to hold two continuous professional development (CPD) courses for Island coaches.
On a UK tour of some 35 events, his mission is to communicate the key messages of England ‘DNA’ and how that relates from the top, right down to the youngest grassroots players.
Speaking to the JEP after a practical session at Springfield, he said: ‘We [coaches] need, in this country, to be working to the same blueprint, or master plan. So I’ve taken the England DNA, as it relates to Gareth Southgate’s team, and worked it back and made it age-appropriate, so every grassroots coach in the country can feel as though they are making a contribution to the overall England DNA. And, hopefully, the success of our teams.
‘One of the key mantras is about making the child’s first experience of football, sport and being coached a really positive and memorable one. We can not compromise on that . . . that is definitely non-negotiable – the coaches have to make it a really positive and enjoyable experience for the young players.’
Sturgess explained how he expects to achieve that: ‘We have revised our level one and level two courses, that came on board last September, in line with the England DNA and definitely revised to align with more age-appropriate coaching.’
As an example of how the England DNA from senior pros can be passed down to the five to 11-year-olds, Sturgess said: ‘One really simple thought- process is that, if you want highly talented decision-makers playing for the England senior team, then that decision-making process – the ability to make good decisions on the pitch – can start with five-year-old children. By giving them more choice, more responsibility . . . just empowering them a slightly different way that we have done in the past.
‘If the coach begins to hijack or grab all the decision-making, even from a very early age, you’re not going to produce the decision-makers you need to really influence European and World Cup matches. We can start that in the foundation phase.
‘We like to make a games-based approach, but there is a perception that if you use a games-based approach you just throw a ball into the mix and the magic will happen …. actually we need the players to be playing more games in lots of different formats, but under the watchful eye of a skilful coach who can look for the right opportunities to extend learning for the players – not just leave them to their own devices.
‘But if we are bringing in children younger and younger to be coached then we need to keep alive the love of the game they have … for as long as we can.’
