By Simon Parkinson

GLOUCESTERSHIRE FA Youth Council staged a colourful and exciting football festival for young leaders and players – and what a storming success it proved to be.

The World Cup-themed event, held at the GFA’s impressive Oaklands Park football centre in Almondsbury, was split into morning and afternoon sessions, the first of which was aimed exclusively at the 17 young leaders, aged between 14 and 16, attending one of a variety of informative workshops relating to coaching, refereeing and running events.

Those leaders, all of whom are active young volunteers in various coaching and administrative capacities within grassroots clubs, as well as aspiring match officials, were then given the chance to engage pro-actively in the afternoon’s under-10s and under-11s football fest, when they were able to put their newly-acquired skills into serious practice.

GFA Youth Council member Alix Tucker explained: “Those leaders undertaking the running events workshop were handed the task of planning the afternoon’s football festival, choosing the format, assigning roles for referees and coaches and certain other duties.

“The coaches observed and practised sessions that they then delivered in groups during the afternoon’s football, while the refs, who had earlier tested their knowledge of the laws of the game, were able to actually practise officiating through the games.”

Alix added: “The players, who were invited by us through schools and clubs to take part, were split into teams to represent nations from the World Cup and coaches were assigned a team each.

“The event involved players experiencing several different formats - 3v3, 4v4 and 7v7 - throughout the afternoon. It also gave coaches a variety of aspects to work with and afforded referees experience of different game-types.

“Prizes were given out to the children and everyone was awarded a certificate of attendance. The Young Leaders all got a free Nike T-shirt as well so everyone went home happy.”

GFA football development officer Scott Milne said: “It was great because the whole event was put on by young people for young people and it proved to be a real success.”

The GFA Youth Council acts as an advisory board and representative body for children and young people in Gloucestershire, providing them with a voice and a platform to be involved in decision-making within the county FA structure.

Any young person between the ages of 16 and 24 wishing to know more about the organisation, or considering getting involved, can email Scott Milne at scott.milne@gloucestershirefa.com or call him on 01454 615888 (select option 3).