Most conversations about being a grassroots football coach - with people who have never done it usually take a familiar path. It tends to focus on the selflessness of the volunteer, the hours it requires, dealing with the ‘dreaded parents’ and if you’re crazy enough to be on the committee too, “I don’t know how you find the time to do all this – and have a family as well”.

All of this is perfectly valid but there’s so much more; so many more positives that rarely get discussed. If you’re thinking ‘this looks too much for me’, we thought shining a light on some of the people involved in the club and their stories might help.

Case Study Paul Adams

Paul has been involved with Wollaton Hall and Bramcote FC (WHBFC) since 2014. As with many of us, Paul’s child wanted to play football. Having played as a goalkeeper in his youth and completed his FA Level One coaching certificate as part of his course at university several years earlier, he felt he had something to offer. Conversations with the club’s then Development Officer led him to renew his Level One certificate. He also gained a thirst for the FA’s continuous development (CPD) offering which led to visits to St Georges Park and other venues. With the club’s financial support, Paul decided to take further coaching badges and took the opportunity to refocus on goalkeeping whilst continuing to run his son’s team.

Encouraged by the feedback from FA tutors and those around him, not least of all his wife Anne, Paul realised that his coaching skills and experience may help him realise a career change. His role at Royal Mail provided the opportunity to explore part-time coaching during the day. A trial at Meadow Lane led to him working part time at Notts County Development Academy.

Whilst continuing his CPD and qualifications, (he attained the FAW (Wales) UEFA B Level 3 badge with the backing of the club), Paul established a private goalkeeping coaching business with a coach he’d got to know on an FA course and also moved on to working with Nottingham Forest’s young ‘keepers. The payback for WHBFC was Paul’s infectious enthusiasm for developing players resulting him taking on the Development Officer role on the committee; something he has done for a number of years.

By bringing groups of new and existing coaches together, running sessions for coaches, creating and sharing training materials, Paul ensured that our ‘development first’ ethos at the younger age groups has become part of the fabric of the club.

Taking his coaching further, Paul has since left Royal Mail and become Head of Football and Enrichment at a local college. He is also the manager of a women’s’ team who play at Step Five of the football pyramid and who have reached two cup finals and winning the 2024 County Cup. He still coaches our U16 team but is standing down as Development Officer to provide an opportunity for someone else to shape the future.

Looking back over his time with the club, Paul stresses that his motivation has always been on working with and developing young people. The fact that he’s now paid to do it doesn’t change that, it just means he is doing what he loves on a daily basis and the community and those he coaches benefit from that.

If you’re thinking about whether to get involved in the club in any capacity, you may never know where it might lead. It’s not all about giving things up, it’s also about gaining them.