Cornwall FA and Martin Dighton and Vinnie Halsall, from the FA South West Regional Coaching Development Team, recently delivered an online CPD workshop focusing on how to stay connected with your players over lockdown. 18 coaches joined the event to gain ideas and share their current knowledge and good practice. 

The workshop identified reasons for staying connected with players during lock down and some practical ideas of ways to do it in a safe and engaging way.  Good practice ideas from coaches around the county were shared and discussions surrounding the importance for both coaches and players to keep a social connection at this time was also highlighted.

Martin Dighton (FA Coach Development Officer – Women and Girls) expressed that ‘it was great to see so many coaches actively looking for and considering ways to stay connected with the players throughout this lockdown. We looked at why it is so important to do so and ways in which we can make it exciting, interesting and beneficial for coaches and players alike. We're working on building a full CPD calendar and there will be a Return to Play CPD event when we have clear signs of grassroots football re-starting again’.

Daniel Greenough, Cornwall FA’s Senior Football Development Officer, highlighted “it was great to see such a range of coaches and people on the CPD event.  There is some great working going on already with our coaches and clubs and we hope the information shared gives other some additional ideas to support our players in Cornwall".  

Cornwall FA will be updating our CPD calendar and offer in the very near future with some exciting announcements as well. Keep your eyes on our social media tomorrow for some new player engagement challenges for players across Cornwall to complete over lockdown. To view current online CPD opportunities provided by the FA, please click here.

 To view the Staying Connected With Your Players CPD event, please see the video below or watch on YouTube by clicking here. To view the CPD presentation slides, click here.