Over the coming year a number of Player Development Centres for young players with special needs will be created across the county. The centres will be run in partnership with local Charter Standard Clubs and provide not only coaching opportunities but also playing opportunities locally. The first 2 are to be placed in Lowestoft and Great Cornard both of which will then link into Ipswich Town Disability FC providing a player pathway from school through into competitive football.
Season 2005-06 has seen the start of the new Regional Ability Counts league, in which teams representing their counties meet regularly for matches. The league has been a great success with the players and Clubs. The fixture that was held at ITFC’s training ground last November saw Ipswich play Norwich in a local derby that had all the passion and commitment that you would expect from such a fixture.
There is already a great deal of excellent work being delivered, one example being the recent Fun Day that was held at Cornard Sports centre where AFC Cornard Dynamos continued their own disability football programme by hosting a training session supported by Babergh District Council, where around fifteen children and young adults took part in shooting and dribbling activities finishing with mini matches. The morning was a great success for players, coaches, parents and helpers. Warner Duff, chairman of Ipswich Town Disability F.C. went along and helped finish off a great day by providing tickets for the Ipswich Town game that afternoon. A good example of partnership working with the Club, Babergh council, Ipswich Town F.C. and Ipswich Town Disability F.C. all working with one common aim.
Partnership working is vital to the success of this work, and if your club would like to get involved please contact the Suffolk County Football Association Development team on (01449) 776311, where Football Development Officer Phil Woolnough will be pleased to help you.