The Royal Air Force Football Development Department held a very successful specialist Goalkeeping Course at RAF Brize Norton between 27 – 29 Jul 2010, 15 x students from all 3 x Services attended the course. The attached photographs show WO Dave Smith (HMS Bulwark), CT Rob Jessop (RAF Odiham) and SAC Lee Holberry (RAF Waddington) undertaking their final practical assessment phase of the course.
The course Tutor was Mike Byrne (not shown), Mike Byrne left the RAF last year to work as a fulltime Coach Educator for the Football Association; Mike is one of the most qualified FA Tutor’s currently working within Grassroots Football; prior to his discharge, Mike had served as the RAF FA Director of Coaching for 3 years between 2006 and 2009. The RAF Football Development Officer (John Duff) says, the RAF is extremely lucky that Mike Byrne is still willing to return to deliver coaching courses for the RAF football Association.
Specialist goalkeeping coaching courses were introduced by the Football Association approximately 5 years ago and have proved to be very popular within the RAF. Since the introduction of these courses, the RAF FA have delivered 5 courses (4 x L1 and 1 x L2) with a total of 76 students achieving the qualification. The RAF Football Development Department are planning to deliver 2 x GK courses (L1 & L2) during 2011, anyone interested in attending these courses should register their interest by contacting either John Duff (RAF FA FDO) or Sheila Haining (RAF FA FDA) at RAF FA HQ, RAF Brize Norton (95461 5559/5989).