Sports Management Q2 2011 - UUM

FOOTBALL
Raising
the Game
Pete Hayman looks at The FA’s National Game
Strategy up to 2012, how it’ll be expanded towards
2015, and the NGB’s vision for the game in 2020
D
uring the unveiling of the Football
Association’s (FA) National
Games Strategy (NGS) in 2008,
the FA’s director of football
development, Sir Trevor Brooking, said:
“We want to raise standards in all areas
of football, including at the top. But
it’s important to get the platform and
the base right for that to happen.” This
comment marked the start of a new approach
for the national governing body
(NGB) and one that sought to transform
England’s grassroots environment.
The national governing body proposed
an investment of £200m over a four-year
period, with four main aims identified:
to increase participation; to raise standards;
to develop better players; and
to improve behaviour and discipline
through the Respect campaign.
Although initially drawn-up to cover
this time line, the successes of the NGS has
led the FA to extend it by a further three
years to 2015. Consultation with players,
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coaches, administrators, local authorities;
education; and referees was a fundamental
part in developing the original NGS and
will form the basis of the new extension.
Kelly Simmons, the FA’s head of national
game, explains: “We’re very much
guided by what our stakeholders want.
With the last strategy, we undertook a
large period of consultation and research
and we’re doing the same this time.”
A survey of around 13,000 individuals
from the national game – The Grassroots
Survey – is now complete and Simmons
says that those opinions will help guide
where the FA’s priorities will lie over
the next three years; improved facilities,
addressing poor behaviour and the
promotion of the Respect programme remaining
at the top of the agenda.
The FA has worked hard to ensure that
its investment in the grassroots game has
been well spent. Mark Pover, national facilities
and investment manager, explains
how the FA’s funding – managed by the
Facilities need to
meet FA standards
Issue 2 2011 © cybertrek 2011