Release Date: 01/05/2009

Author: By Laura Brown

GLENN Taggart feels he has one of the few dream jobs for any football fanatic - the 28-year-old is a primary schools coach working for the Irish Football Association.

The Irish FA’s Primary Schools Coaching Programme is now in its second year of operation.  The programme involves the deployment of 30 full-time Irish FA coaches into over 250 schools and around 750 separate classes where they are directly coaching approximately 15,000 Primary School children.

The Irish FA teamed up with the Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI) and the GAA for the programme.  Funded by DENI, it is aimed at using the relevant sports expertise to help support and compliment existing current Physical Education programmes within the Primary Sector.

Glenn, who works in Larne and the surrounding areas said: “Over the last year it has turned into my dream job.”  He coaches at nine schools and takes 18 classes per week.  Each session lasts 45 minutes.  “We try to keep the training as general as possible. We want children to learn basic skills which can be applied to any sport,” he explained.

The programme blends fundamental skills from line walking to catching and throwing.  As well as this it attempts to get children interested in their health.   “The children we coach range from primary one to primary four.  The young age of these children presents us with a blank canvas and opens up an opportunity for broad and balanced teaching,” said Glenn.

The programme has also been extended to breakfast clubs and after school activities for any children who show an interest in football.

The Primary Schools Coaching Programme is a key component of the Irish FA’s Grassroots Development Strategy.  The programme helps develop the skills needed in young people.  It also prevents any aspiring footballers from learning bad habits before they are old enough to join a grassroots football team.

Glenn says that the feedback about the programme from the schools involved has been positive.  The principals and teachers have commented on how it has helped the children to concentrate and be more focused in class.

The programme not only helps children become fit and more active but it also focuses on their co-ordination and brain training.  “Having a healthy body can led to a more healthy brain,” he said.

For Glenn his job is a dream come true:”Working with these children is what makes my job amazing.”  Glenn who plays for Carrick Rangers admits he is football mad and he could not have asked for a better opportunity.  “Hopefully five years down the line we will still be providing this service and have the statistics to prove the success of the programme.”

The programme ultimately appears to be a great success for the Irish Football Association.  As Glenn said: “If we [the Irish FA] help one child become healthier or find a passion for sport it was worth our time.”

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