Football is more than just a game. At We Make Footballers Cobham, it is a shared language of growth, learning and connection. That belief does not just shape how we coach our players, it also drives how we coach our coaches. That is why our recent Coaching Day, led by Co-Owner and Head of Coaching Rory Mathers, was such a valuable and inspiring experience for our team.
Held at our Cobham location, the day brought together coaches from across our community to learn, reflect and grow together. The goal was to keep raising the standard so that every session we deliver continues to be safe, fun and development focused.
What We Did at the Coaching Day
Coach Rory guided the day with energy and purpose, creating a space for collaboration, learning and plenty of laughter. We began with a team huddle and a reminder of why we are here, to help every child feel confident, welcome and excited to play football.
One of the most engaging parts of the day involved our coaches working in pairs. Each pair was given the task of planning and delivering a ten minute skill drill. While one pair led their session, the rest of the group stepped into the shoes of our young players, joining in with enthusiasm and a sense of fun. This hands-on exercise reminded everyone what it feels like to be coached, especially from a child’s perspective.
After each drill, we paused as a group to offer feedback. Coaches shared what worked well, what could be improved and how the session could be adapted for different age groups. These open discussions encouraged reflection and reinforced the importance of clarity, simplicity and encouragement.
As Rory explained, "On a coaching training day, this leads to a lot of open discussions, from both the team leaders and all our coaching staff about how to deliver our sessions to the highest possible standard."
A highlight of the day was Rory’s demonstration of our progressive play approach. He showed how small sided games, coached with intention, can teach more than just football skills. They help build resilience, decision making and a sense of teamwork, all of which are key elements of our philosophy.
The Importance of Coaching Our Coaches
At We Make Footballers, we believe that great coaching starts with great coaches. Our coaching method is unique and results driven, with many of our players progressing into professional academies. However, delivering this method consistently across all our sessions means ensuring every coach is trained in our approach and confident in their delivery.
As Rory puts it, "We pride ourselves on our unique coaching method and the results it has seen, in terms of getting players signed for professional academies. However, this means our methods are quite different to what our experienced coaching staff may be used to at the clubs they work for. Therefore it is vital for us to make sure our staff are trained in our methodology and in the way we deliver our sessions, to make sure they are delivering our sessions to the highest possible standard."
This level of coaching development is about more than just tactics or drills. It is about culture and values. Rory explains, "Each of our key values must be met when a coach is delivering a session. Safety, passion, development and fun."
To support this, sessions are assessed on four main criteria. These are setup, explanation and demonstration, coaching interventions and methods, and the amount of time the ball is rolling. This helps ensure that sessions are structured, engaging and tailored to the needs of the children taking part.
We also recognise that change is not always easy. Coaches who come from other football environments often need to adjust how they deliver sessions. Rory shared how we support them through that process: "Our coaching methodology and delivery is quite unique, so we often have experienced coaches who, when they join us, have to adapt their delivery quite a lot. This can therefore often lead to some resistance to change. We treat this in exactly the same way we would like to coach our players. Rather than telling them what to do, we ask leading questions that hopefully guide our staff to the right answers."
"Hopefully this will allow coaches to better take on board our methods, as they understand exactly why we do them."
A Better Experience for Every Child
The impact of developing our coaches can be seen in every session. When coaches are confident, consistent and passionate, children feel the difference. They are more engaged, more motivated and more likely to return each week with a smile on their face.
Rory summed it up perfectly, "This in turn will impact the quality of the session that each of our players is getting and should therefore make the sessions more enjoyable and a better environment for them to develop in."
As we continue to adapt and improve our sessions, we make it a priority to include our coaching staff every step of the way. "We are constantly looking to adapt and improve our sessions. Therefore it is important our coaches have regular training days so they can be trained in any adaptations we make to how we deliver our sessions."
We know that football is about more than just the score. It is about building confidence, forming friendships and learning life skills that stay with our players long after the final whistle.
If you are a parent looking for a football environment where your child will be guided by coaches who care, we would love to meet you.
Book a free session with We Make Footballers Cobham and come experience it for yourself.
Together, we are coaching with purpose, passion and people at the heart of everything we do.
