Coach of the Year: The Power of Great Coaching in Girls' Football

At HerMove, we believe that great coaching can change lives. Tim Brown, the Sussex County FA Coach of the Year, is a perfect example of this. His incredible work at Eastbourne Borough FC demonstrates how dedication and a focus on inclusivity can transform youth sport, particularly in growing the girls' game. His story is a powerful reminder that anyone can make a difference and help us achieve our goal of empowering women and girls through sport.

Tim Brown was named Coach of the Year at the Sussex County FA Awards last season and it's easy to understand why.

With a big emphasis on supporting the growth of both girls and boys football he has transformed youth football in the ten years he has been at Eastbourne Borough FC, including:

• Creating a Goalkeeping Academy at the club which at its peak attracted around 40 girls and boys aged seven to eighteen.

• Launched and developed Eastbourne Borough ‘Spirit of Football’ Disability Football squad which sees neurodiverse children aged five to twenty two years old regularly playing football on a Saturday morning.

• Took on coaching the Sports Stars squad for 3-5 year olds, again on a Saturday, with around 20 boys and girls having plenty of fun and enjoyment each week.

• Head Coach of the Year 1 Development Squad, where the children learn how to play mini soccer football prior to them moving on to become a new U7 team. Tim has formed the last eight youth teams at the club in this way, from this years’ U7 team up to U15’s.

Tim has been a Football Coach for 38 years across Sussex in a variety of roles at different clubs and academies, and he said: "I’ve heard that a good coach can change a game, while a great coach can change a life, and I definitely believe that to be the case.

Sport is not only fun and good for our mental and physical health but it can also teach youngsters important life skills such as desire, attitude, teamwork, resilience, determination, handling setbacks and knowing how to win and lose to name just a few.

Since the England Women’s team Euro success in 2022 we have seen an explosion of interest in girls football, so much so that we now have a girls development centre, teams at every age group similar to the boys and we have a highly successful Women’s team competing across London and the South East.

I have been lucky enough to receive so many thank you letters from parents over the years, appreciating the effort that goes in to shaping young boys and girls both on the pitch and for their life ahead, and so I was shocked beyond belief to learn that I had received seven nominations for last year’s Sussex FA Coaches Award which was incredible. Last season I was also fortunate enough to win another award, this time for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sport & Physical Activity’ at the Sussex Sports Awards held at Hove Cricket Ground which was equally as exciting.”

Tim says that the Disability Football is constantly growing and breaking new ground, and it is something he is keen to develop further. "My coaching team support around 100 players every Saturday morning across four sessions, including over 40 disability children which is very satisfying and great fun to be a part of.

One of the highlights each season is my summer World Cup Fun Day, our all-inclusive Football Fiesta with around 1000 people in the ground. Four teams play - England, Brazil, Spain and Italy - and the players wear the coloured shirt depending which country they are playing for. Everyone plays in a fully inclusive tournament for both girls, boys and neurodiverse players, everyone is together, and national anthems are played before the football on 12 pitches. The winning team wins our World Cup!

We have a season-long plan every year and we are continually setting new goals to help grow the number of girls, women and disability children playing football in our town. I would say that any youth football club can start up or grow the number of girls playing the game if they tap into our England Womens recent success at the Euros, contact your local schools and also get in touch with the girls development team at Sussex FA. You never know, you might uncover the next Chloe Kelly!”

This is a powerful story we are proud to feature at HerMove. If you run a local club or organization that is making an impact on women and girls in sport, we would love to hear from you. Submit your club to be featured on our website!

For more inspiring stories and to learn about our mission, visit www.hermove.uk.