THIS IS PART 3 OF OUR BLOG HIGHLIGHTING THE GREAT WORK GRASS ROOTS COACHES DO WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW THIS CAN BE THE START OF BIGGER THINGS. IN THIS ADDITION WE HAVE INVITED BENJAMIN NWACHUKWU A YOUNG MAN WHO ONCE PLAYED ON HILLYFIELDS AND EVENTUALLY BECAME ONE OF OUR COACHES. AFTER COMPLETING HIS DEGREES HE IS NOW COACHING WITH MILLWALL ACADEMY AND IS ENJOYING THE EXPERIENCE. 

 

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW? 

I WORK FULL TIME AS A FOOTBALL ANALYST AND U14'S HEAD COACH AT MILLWALL LIONESSES. CURRENTLY I AM ALSO COMPLETING MY UEFA A BADGE. 

 

WHAT WAS YOUR PATHWAY TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? 

I STARTED AT FUTSAL@JAM WHERE YOU HELPED AND FUNDED ME THROUGH MY LEVEL 1 AND 2 COACHING BADGES. I WENT ON TO COACHING IN UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE AND LOUGHBOROUGH WHERE I ACTUALLY COMPLETED A DEGREE IN PHARMACEUTCAL SCIENCE AND A MASTERS IN SPORT COACHING. 

 

WHO OR WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? 

DUE TO BEING A MASIVE MANCHESTER UTD FAN, ALEX FERGUSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ME. IN ADDITION, ARSEN WENGER WAS A CLOSE ONE TOO.  

 

WHAT FUELS YOUR PASSION FOR SPORT? 

I WOULD SAY THE FACT THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS LEARN MORE AND NEVER KNOW EVERYTING. THERE IS NO WRONG OR RIGHT IN SPORT JUST DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING IT. 

 

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE VIRTUES OF PLAYING A TEAM SPORT SUCH AS FOOTBALL? 

YOU HAVE TO BE SEFLESS, CARING, HELPFUL, WILLING TO FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER, GENEROUS, ENCOURAGE AND HAVE A GOOD WORK ETHIC. 

 

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT COMMUNITY COACHING HAS AN IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITIES? 

HUGE! IT IS AN INTEGRAL STEP IN THE PATHWAY TO ELITE SPORTS. IT IS THE FOREFRONT FOR TALENT TO EMERGE FROM AND PLAYS A BIG PART IN THE LEARNING PATH OF INDIVIDUALS. 

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TEAM, PLAYER AND WHY? 

MANCHESTER UTD AND HENRY! FERGUSON MY INSPIRATION AT THE TIME AND HNERY BECAUSE HE MADE IT LOOK SO SIMPLE. 

 

WHAT WAS THE FIRST FOOTBALL MATCH YOU WENT TO SEE LIVE? 

FULLHAM VS JUVENTUS UEFA CUP 2010! FULLHAM BEAT JUVE 4-1 UNBELIEVABLE WOW WHAT A GAME! 

 

WHAT WOULD BE THE ONE BIT OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS ASPIRATIONS TO BE A PROFESSIONAL SPORTS PERSON? 

YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE SETBACKS ALONG THE WAY. WHEN THEY COME, EMBRACE THEM AND LEARN FROM THEM IN ORDER TO PROGRESS YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING.