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⚽ BT Playmaker by England Football


“You don’t need to be a coach to change the game — just someone who cares.”

The BT Playmaker by England Football course is the perfect entry point into the football world for anyone looking to get involved — no prior experience required. Whether you’re a parent, volunteer, youth leader, or simply a passionate supporter of the beautiful game, this free course gives you the skills, confidence, and support to start making a difference.


It’s where football meets community, and where passion meets purpose.


🌟 What Is BT Playmaker?


Created by England Football in partnership with BT, the Playmaker course is a free online training programme designed for anyone who wants to help out at their local football club or organisation.


You don’t have to be a coach. You don’t need a kit. All you need is a love for the game and a willingness to help out — whether that’s setting up cones, welcoming new players, supporting matchday logistics, or becoming a role model for young people.


“Not every hero wears a whistle — some just show up and care.”

📚 Course Overview: What You’ll Learn


✅ 1. Getting Started in Football Volunteering


  • The different ways you can support your local club

  • How volunteering changes lives — including your own

  • The impact of community football across ages, genders, and abilities


🙋 “You don’t have to lead sessions to be a leader.”

🛡️ 2. Creating a Safe, Fun Environment


  • How to make players feel welcome, safe, and included

  • The importance of safeguarding, awareness, and positive behaviour

  • Setting a great example as a trusted adult in football


🌈 “Every child deserves to feel like they belong on the pitch.”

🧠 3. Understanding Your Role


  • The different roles volunteers can play (helper, organiser, supporter)

  • Working as part of a coaching or club team

  • Being reliable, approachable, and consistent


🤝 “Clubs don’t just need coaches — they need people who care.”

🩹 4. First Aid Essentials


  • Basic first aid awareness for emergencies in football

  • When to escalate, when to support

  • Staying calm and caring under pressure


🧯 “You might never need it, but you’ll be glad you learned it.”

📋 5. Next Steps After Playmaker


  • How to continue your journey into coaching, refereeing, or club support

  • Introduction to further FA courses like Introduction to Coaching Football or Safeguarding

  • Opportunities to grow within the England Football ecosystem


🚀 “Today a Playmaker — tomorrow, who knows?”

🧑‍🏫 Course Format & Delivery


  • 💻 100% online and totally free

  • 🕒 Takes around 2 hours to complete

  • 🎥 Interactive video modules, real-world scenarios, quizzes, and support

  • 🧾 Certificate awarded on completion


Perfect for parents, carers, youth workers, school staff, and first-time volunteers looking to get involved in football.


🙌 Why BT Playmaker Is a Game-Changer


BT Playmaker:


✔ Opens the door to new voices and faces in football

✔ Promotes inclusivity and diversity in clubs and communities

✔ Strengthens the volunteer network in grassroots football

✔ Gives you confidence and clarity in your role

✔ Helps more young people stay in sport — and thrive


“Great clubs aren’t just built on talent — they’re built on people who show up.”

🏁 In Summary


The BT Playmaker by England Football course is about making football accessible — not just for players, but for those who want to help make it happen. It’s grassroots in its purest form, and it offers a fantastic, supported way into the game for people of all backgrounds.


Whether you help run a warm-up, hand out bibs, or simply cheer from the sidelines with purpose — you are changing lives through football.


🌍 Leading With Purpose, Supporting With Passion


Steve Halls is an FA qualified football coach offering consultancy, talent identification, mentoring and player representation in Cheshunt and the surrounding areas. In today’s interconnected world, Steve can offer his services to players, clubs, and organisations globally. Steve champions inclusive pathways into the game, believing that empowered volunteers, mentors and coaches form the beating heart of grassroots football.











👀 Introduction to Talent Identification in Football


“Talent is everywhere — the key is knowing how to recognise it.”

Spotting talent isn’t luck. It’s a skilled, systematic process that requires a trained eye, an open mind, and a deep understanding of the game. The FA’s Introduction to Talent Identification in Football course gives coaches, scouts, and club staff the foundation to recognise potential and support players on the pathway to success.


Whether you're at a grassroots match or an academy trial, this course helps you see beyond the moment — and into the future.


🧠 Why Talent ID Matters in Modern Football


  • Today's game demands more than physical ability — it values intelligence, resilience, and attitude

  • Talent identification builds the bridge between grassroots and elite levels

  • Coaches and scouts are key gatekeepers to the player pathway

  • A structured, unbiased approach ensures opportunities are fair and inclusive


“You don’t just find talent — you recognise it, nurture it, and support it to grow.”

📚 Course Overview: What You’ll Learn


🧭 1. What is Talent Identification?


  • The purpose and value of talent ID in football

  • Key roles in the process (scouts, coaches, analysts, guardians)

  • How talent ID fits into the England Player Pathway and club development structures


⚽ “It’s not just about who's good now — it’s about who has the tools to develop.”

👁️ 2. What to Look For in Players


  • The Four Corner Model: Technical/Tactical, Physical, Psychological, Social

  • Age and stage-appropriate expectations

  • Positional potential and versatility

  • Understanding relative age effects and late developers


🔍 “A good scout sees what’s happening. A great scout sees what could happen.”

💬 3. Avoiding Bias and Building Fairness


  • How personal preferences and unconscious bias affect judgment

  • Strategies to reduce bias in observation and assessment

  • Why diversity in scouting teams improves talent outcomes


🧠 “Real talent ID isn’t about who fits your mould — it’s about who breaks it.”

📝 4. Making Effective Observations


  • Observation techniques: watching the whole picture, not just the ball

  • Taking structured notes during matches or training

  • Identifying key traits: awareness, movement, decision-making

  • The importance of context — conditions, opponents, team role


🧾 Good notes lead to good conversations. Good conversations lead to better decisions.

🧑‍💻 5. Reporting and Communication


  • Writing objective, development-focused player reports

  • Sharing feedback respectfully with coaches, clubs, or parents

  • Using technology and systems (like PMA) in modern scouting

  • Balancing honesty and encouragement when reporting on players


💡 “Your words can shape a career — use them wisely.”

🧑‍🏫 Course Format & Delivery


  • 💻 100% online and self-paced

  • 🕒 Takes approximately 2–3 hours to complete

  • 🎥 Features interactive case studies, observation tasks, and FA-led insights

  • 🧾 Certificate awarded upon completion


Designed for aspiring scouts, coaches, talent officers, and educators who want to engage with the player pathway at all levels.


🌱 Who This Course Is For


This course is perfect if you are:


✅ A grassroots coach who wants to better support player development

✅ A new scout looking to build core observation skills

✅ A mentor or consultant working with players on progression

✅ A club volunteer curious about the wider England Talent Pathway


“Every player has a journey — talent ID helps you see where it could begin.”

🏁 In Summary


The Introduction to Talent Identification in Football course gives you the tools to recognise, record, and report on potential — fairly, insightfully, and with long-term growth in mind.


It’s a fantastic foundation for progressing into more advanced roles in recruitment, scouting, or elite youth development. Combined with lived experience and mentoring, this qualification becomes a game-changer in your coaching and consultancy career.


🌍 A Coach With an Eye for the Future


Steve Halls is an FA qualified football coach offering consultancy, talent identification, mentoring and player representation in Cheshunt and the surrounding areas. In today’s interconnected world, Steve can offer his services to players, clubs, and organisations across the globe. With a qualified, unbiased approach to spotting talent and supporting potential, Steve helps players unlock opportunities and take the next step in their football journey.











🤝 Respect for Coaches



“Respect isn’t just earned — it’s role-modelled.”

In grassroots and elite football alike, respect is the foundation for every positive interaction on and off the pitch. The FA’s Respect for Coaches course is designed to reinforce this essential value — not just in how coaches are treated, but in how they lead, communicate, and inspire.

Respect builds trust. Trust builds development. And that’s where real progress in football begins.


🧠 Why Respect Matters in Football Coaching


  • Coaches play a pivotal role in shaping values and attitudes

  • Disrespect can disrupt learning, growth, and enjoyment

  • Positive environments foster better performance and behaviour

  • Respect is essential between players, coaches, officials, and parents


“The behaviour you allow becomes the culture you create.”

📚 Course Overview: What You’ll Learn


🧭 1. Understanding the FA’s Respect Campaign


  • The origins and purpose of the FA’s Respect programme

  • How football can lead by example in wider society

  • The importance of dignity, inclusion, and understanding in sport


🏳️‍🌈 Respect goes beyond manners — it’s about valuing others fully.

🗣️ 2. How Coaches Earn and Demonstrate Respect


  • Leading with integrity and consistency

  • Communicating clearly and positively

  • Setting high standards for behaviour

  • Understanding the influence you have on players and parents


🎯 “Respect isn’t taught in drills — it’s taught in how you speak, act, and react.”

🧒 3. Respect in the Coach–Player Relationship


  • How to build trust and mutual understanding

  • Supporting emotional well-being through respectful feedback

  • Creating a safe space for learning, making mistakes, and growing


❤️ When players feel respected, they listen more, learn faster, and love the game longer.

👨‍👩‍👧 4. Working With Parents and Spectators


  • Managing expectations and addressing conflict

  • Encouraging respectful sidelines

  • Reinforcing values through club codes of conduct

  • Handling inappropriate behaviour professionally and promptly


📣 “Every shout from the touchline teaches a value — make sure it’s the right one.”

⚖️ 5. Dealing With Disrespect


  • Strategies to diffuse tension with parents, players, or officials

  • When and how to involve the Club Welfare Officer

  • Understanding the disciplinary processes and reporting pathways

  • Protecting your own well-being as a coach


🛑 Disrespect doesn’t have to be tolerated — it can be managed calmly and constructively.

🧑‍🏫 Course Format & Delivery


  • 💻 Delivered online through The FA's learning platform

  • 🕒 Takes approximately 45–60 minutes to complete

  • 🎥 Includes interactive activities, video case studies, and downloadable resources

  • 🧾 Certificate issued upon completion


Perfect for new coaches, volunteers, and experienced mentors alike.


💬 Why This Course is a Must for Every Coach


By completing the Respect for Coaches course, you're:


✔ Reinforcing positive values in your sessions

✔ Establishing a consistent and fair coaching approach

✔ Protecting your own authority and mental well-being

✔ Modelling the behaviour you want to see in others


“Respect isn’t a handshake at full-time — it’s every decision, every word, every day.”

⚽ Respect Strengthens the Whole Game


When respect is consistent and visible, it:


  • Improves player retention

  • Builds stronger relationships with families

  • Encourages good sportsmanship

  • Helps referees and officials feel supported

  • Reduces conflict and complaints


🎯 The result? More enjoyment. More development. More love for the game.


🏁 In Summary


The FA’s Respect for Coaches course is a vital piece of your toolkit as a modern football coach. It underpins everything you do — from giving feedback, managing games, to leading your team through challenges.


Respect is not a soft skill. It’s a power skill — and this course helps you master it.


🌍 Respect as a Coaching Standard


Steve Halls is an FA qualified football coach offering consultancy, talent identification, mentoring and player representation in Cheshunt and the surrounding areas. In today’s interconnected world, Steve can offer his services to players, clubs, and organisations across the globe. Steve believes respect, care, and consistency are the cornerstones of long-term player development and elite performance environments.











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