Nick, our first question has got to relate to shin guards. Any self respecting footballing household knows how these tend to do a disappearing act of a weekend. How do you manage to locate 3 sets?
We seem to do ok for shin pads, socks on the other hand are a different matter! It never ceases to amaze me how we can go from 6 socks being taken off one weekend, to then only having 3 or 5 to put back on again the following weekend!! There is always a missing sock drama 5 mins before we are due to leave the house. It pays to have back up pairs for such emergencies!
Can you describe a typical week in the Taylor footballing household?
Sunday evening/Monday morning generally includes arranging the coming weeks fixtures with the opposing teams, I used to do this for Josh and Jude’s age groups (as many as 5 teams at one point) but now it mainly the U14s.
Neve has training with the U11 girls on Thursday evenings then the boys are both on Friday evening. Neve then plays on Saturday morning with the boys playing Sundays, although Josh broke his collar bone just before this season started so we have been able to take him out of the equation!!
Things get really interesting during the cross over between the cricket and football seasons, as I also coach Barkisland CC U15s and all three kids enjoy their cricket as well. This usually means that we have something on 7 days/nights a week, including various after-school clubs and activities. Michelle and I have to be very organised, and we usually put a timetable together to make sure we don’t miss anything!!
How on earth do you coordinate getting your offspring to where they need to be and on time?
By being very organised, writing things down, (Michelle loves a good spreadsheet template!!) and relying on grandparents and friends! Some weekends all 3 kids could be playing in various locations across Yorkshire so it is physically impossible for Michelle and I to be in 3 places at once. Luckily, we are a tight nit group at Greetland so there is always someone on hand with an offer of a lift.
How long have you been coaching? And do you help out with other teams?
Josh started training at the age of 5 with Ian Bagley around 2012, when the time came to move up to the Under 7s, Ian gave his usual talk to the parents asking for a volunteer to take on the coaching. He asked people to step forward and when I turned around everyone had stepped backwards and I was left standing there, so that was the start of my journey. Then a couple of years later Jude started playing and I also got involved with his team. With a football mad dad, and 2 older brothers Neve didn’t really have a choice but to like football, luckily there were enough volunteers at her age group so I can enjoy watching her from the parents’ touchline. Over the years more parents got involved and we now have a strong team of coaches and volunteers across all age groups.
Before the days of the Hub, Michelle also ran the tea/coffee stalls so it was a real family effort.
It must be hard work. But you and your young footballers must really enjoy it?
It can be really challenging, especially when there is the cricket crossover, however we feel that it is all worth it. There are obviously the physical benefits of kids playing sport but for me it is more about the social benefits we are providing such as confidence building, communication skills and team working. Hopefully we are providing the kids with the skills they will need to become successful in their later lives, and if they can do that by enjoying themselves at the same time it is win/win!!
