My first blog post comes from November 2016, when I was still a student.
I wanted to write about how important it is to continually gain experience and give a brief insight into working in football along with the vital work done by volunteers. I hope that you enjoy it.
Working in football can have its ups and downs. Yes, it is very rewarding when all of your hard work results in an important victory or a favourable scenario, but there are also times when the team (and possibly you) are low on confidence, especially after a tough run of games or a disappointing cup exit. I’m sure that everyone who has previously or is currently working at a club at any level has experienced this, but regardless of what’s happened you still work for the club that you’re supporting.
I’ve been lucky enough to have already experienced working in football from Grassroots to professional and though it may seem the same role, they are in fact very different. I’m a Sports Therapist, specialised in treating injuries whether that being pitch-side or in a clinical environment, but have also been known as bottle filler, equipment carrier, kit man, substitute board operator, back-up player and even car park assistant!
You do whatever you can to benefit your club, not just your own designated role.
Volunteers make football clubs what they are, right down the vast spectrum of the game. A lot of time and hard work has to be put in for every match to take place, most of which spectators don’t see as it happens behind the scenes from the many duties of the secretary before and during the game, to the people operating the turnstile, café, club house, club shop and back-room staff assembling and preparing the team. All those jobs have to be done, regardless of how many volunteers you have. It’s not surprising to me that clubs all over the country are crying out for them, they can be the pinnacle of a football club surviving year on year.
I initially wrote this piece after covering 3 football matches in 3 days with 3 different age groups. As a Sports Therapist, I sat feeling tired but relaxed, pondering and reflecting on what I’ve achieved over that time. The answer was a lot. For anyone of my profession or age (or those similar), ‘real life’ experience is a key component to the course and ultimately essential if you wish to acquire a full-time job in the business. I’m grateful that it is required to pass my course, but I’m always looking at gaining more experience and helping out other clubs however and whenever I can.
That weekend was no exception as I decided to visit Coventrians Football Club at Holbrooks Park, for their Midland Football League Division 3 fixture against Inkberrow FC. In an effort to help their match day first aid provisions, I chose to sponsor the Coventrians medical kit for the season (and the following) and made myself available to be pitch-side for the game. This was for mutual benefit, as I got more experience working within the sport and the players were aided with preventing, assessing and treating injuries. They may have lost 4-1, but the team gave it their all and played some enjoyable passing, flowing football in an overall very decent game. The club were very appreciative and I hope that my short stay with them was beneficial.
I decided to have this as my first post since it’s something that is still relevant to this day, I may have graduated and changed clubs (several times) since then but the points made still remain. I hope to share more pieces like this, with varied subject matters and a mix of some of my old articles combined with new additions.
Let me know what you make of my first post and I’ll have a second up shortly,
Chris
🙂
The Travelling Therapist 