National Game Strategy: One year on

It’s now a year since The FA’s National Game Strategy 2008-12 was published, with every County FA producing its own plan to underpin the activity and targets the overall strategy contains.

So, how are we all doing?

"The good news is we’re ahead of our national targets in all but two categories," notes Kelly Simmons, The FA’s National Game Manager, who has overall responsibility for delivery of the Strategy. "Those two categories are the retention of teams within the 11-a-side adult game and the number of registered and active referees.

"We are ahead of our targets in Mini-Soccer, youth boys and girls’ football and disability football. The real challenge within our growth targets is arresting the decline in adult male 11 v 11 football. This will require The FA, County FAs, leagues and clubs working really hard over the next four years to stem the drop-out between youth and adult football and provide a range of flexible competition opportunities.

"We always knew the retention of 11-a-side teams and referee recruitment would be two of the toughest challenges, and during 2009 we will be rolling-out further aspects of the Respect programme which are intended to help our recruitment and retention drive.

"Since the start of the current season, the Respect programme has been portrayed in the media as an issue within the professional game, but we have been consistent in our view that it is a ‘whole game’ issue.

"In grassroots football, we now have over 550 leagues signed up to deliver the Respect programme with and through their clubs, which is very encouraging, and reflects the original research which went into the National Game Strategy, which identified addressing poor behaviour as the number one priority at grassroots level."

However, the Respect programme is only one way to combat the fact that 7,000 referees leave the grassroots game every season, primarily because of the abuse they receive on the pitch and from the sidelines.

The FA has also invested more than £4m in Referee Development Officers in every County FA to support the recruitment and retention of referees, and just as importantly, support them through the various levels. To support these Officers, a major ‘Get into Refereeing’ campaign will be unveiled later this year to encourage and recruit new officials. The numbers completing the referee training course has doubled this season which is a promising start.

"This ‘pathway for talent’ as it could be described, applies equally to players and coaches," says Kelly. "I see the development of these two areas as two more major challenges for the National Game. A discussion document on a new Coaching Strategy for the game in England was published late last year and contains a fresh approach – promoting age-appropriate coaching, focused on the younger age groups. County FAs have started rolling out these new courses for coaches working with young players.

"Through this work, and initiatives like The FA Tesco Skills Programme, we are all looking to breed a new generation of players – who will enjoy the game more because they are more skilled – and if they show undoubted talent, are guided through a pathway to reach their potential. To date, 780,000 young players have taken part in The FA Skills Programme and the feedback from players, parents and coaches has been fantastic."

Finally, The FA is looking to provide better support services to its clubs and leagues. "You then have to set all the above against the infrastructure of the game," says Kelly. "Do we at The FA provide enough support the thousands of league and club officials in the country? I believe we need to provide a better range of business services to leagues and their member clubs to keep their heads above water – and to develop."

All these challenges fall within the four goals the National Game Strategy has set, from which we cannot deviate if the Strategy is to be a success:

1. To grow and retain participation
2. To raise standards and address abusive behaviour
3. To develop better players
4. To run the game effectively.

"The first year has been busy to say the least, and the next three will be no different," says Kelly. "However, we have a fantastic opportunity to make a genuine and positive difference to the game we all love."