Friday 08 Aug 2025

Grassroots football to take centre stage at conference

The Irish FA Foundation is staging a major conference next month which will focus on grassroots football.

The aim of the Grassroots Football Conference is to bring together coaches, volunteers and club representatives to connect, learn and grow.

The event at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park on Sunday 7 September will feature three speakers: Nick Levett (keynote speaker), Skye Eddy and Pete Sturgess.

It’s a free event, with spaces allocated on a first come, first served basis.

The Foundation would like as many clubs as possible from across the country represented so registrations will be limited to two per club.

Registration details have been sent to clubs across Northern Ireland. Further information, if required, is available at youth.framework@irishfa.com. 

Jordan Reid, Game Development Manager at the Irish FA Foundation, explained attendees will hear more about the Irish FA Youth Football Framework and gain valuable insights from expert speakers.

Those attending will also hear directly from three clubs who will share their journeys, best practices and the strategies that have helped them thrive and make a lasting impact in their communities. The clubs are Greenisland FC in Co Antrim, Tristar from Derry-Londonderry and Antrim Town Women.

“Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your club to the next level, this is your opportunity to be part of a vibrant network driving the future of grassroots football in Northern Ireland,” Jordan said. 

The conference is due to be staged in the Pat Jennings Lounge at the National Stadium, running from 11am until 4pm.

Lunch will be provided and there will be an opportunity to network with fellow attendees.

Keynote speaker Nick Levett is a coach developer and leadership consultant with 30 years’ experience across grassroots, elite sport and national systems.

He spent 17 years at The FA leading grassroots football and talent ID with England’s national teams. A former Head of Coaching at UK Coaching, and a current grassroots coach, he now works as a consultant with coaches, leaders and teams globally to create high-performance environments that prioritise learning, people and culture. 

Skye Eddy is the founder of Soccer Parenting and The Sideline Project, which is aimed at engaging parents to make youth sports better.

A former professional goalkeeper in the US, Skye is the leading consultant for the Irish FA around parental engagement and sideline behaviour, developing workshops, toolkits and resources to help implement pillars of the Youth Football Framework.

Pete Sturgess is synonymous with grassroots football development, in particular his focus on supporting junior coaches to provide enjoyable and inspiring football experiences.

Sturgess committed his whole career to improving the coaching of young players. A former teacher and academy assistant director, he worked at the FAas Technical Lead for the 5 to 11 age group.

These days Peter, who is now retired, works as a consultant for many governing bodies and professional leagues across global football, including UEFA, the FA and the English Premier League.

In addition to speaking at the conference Sturgess will be delivering a practical on-pitch session at Midgley Park beside the stadium. Focusing on developing creativity in young players within small-sided games, it is due to begin at 4.30pm and will run until 6pm. Registration details have been sent to clubs.