Foundation of Light’s Guest Speaker Programme proving a big hit
A guest speaker programme organised by the Foundation of Light’s Women’s Scholarship is going down a treat.
The Scholarship aims to develop girls between 16 and 19 to go on to compete professionally, and bosses are hoping that a host of guest speakers can help inspire the girls as they go through the programme.
Spennymoor Town assistant and Monkwearmouth Academy director of football, Jamie Chandler, was one of many guests the Foundation brought together to speak to the girls, as well as to deliver an intense training experience akin to a professional environment.
He told Spark: “It was a great honour to be invited across to work with some real talented girls and be part of the great environment at the Foundation of Light Scholars.
“Steve does a fantastic job and is renowned for his hard work and development of talented young players. He is also a huge part of our programme and our girls are very lucky to have their own personal session with him on Monday evenings at Monkwearmouth.
“We have some fantastic young girls who are developing very well and we have no doubt some of them will follow in the footsteps of Milly Cairns, who has been with us since Year 7 and is now representing The Scholars as well as Sunderland U23s.”
Lead Women’s Scholarship coach, Steven McClarence, added: “We came up with the idea to give the players a more rounded football experience.
“At the moment, the girls are U19 and are transitioning into adult women’s football. They will play for different coaches who have different styles and formations.
“We think that the Guest Coach Programme will help the coach experience different styles of coaching and will therefore help them to adapt easier to changes in the women’s game.
“We got Jamie Chandler in, as we want the girls to experience a high level of coaching.
“Jamie has also previously coached on our Scholars programme, where he won the League Cup and Cup double, so he knows what the programme is about and what the standards and expectations are.”
