Ashworth and FA Head of Player and Coach Development, Matt Crocker, launched the DNA - which outlines an identity for future England teams and players - to over 300 coaches on the first day of the annual FA Licensed Coaches’ Club conference at St.George’s Park.
And Ashworth, who joined The FA from West Bromwich Albion in spring 2013, stressed that the grassroots game has a crucial role to play in making the England DNA a success.
“Belonging to something is one of our human needs. Everyone wants to feel part of something bigger than themselves and we think this is true for all players, coaches and clubs involved in the English game and all those involved in helping develop English players at all levels. We hope the England DNA will help us to achieve that,” explained Ashworth.
Conference attendees were given an insight into the five DNA core elements: Who we are, How we play, the future England player, How we coach and how we support and encouraged to reflect on what the core elements mean in their own work at their own level.
"We want the England DNA to define what we stand for and what we believe in"
Ashworth, believes defining who you are as a club and coach, and how you want to play and work with the players are the necessary first steps to ensuring a better future at all levels.
“Our aim is that in ten years if you saw an England team playing they would be the recognisable for the way they play and train and also how they act and behave off the field.”
“We want the England DNA to define what we stand for and what we believe in. The DNA will detail how we want our future England players and how we want to play.
“It will also look at how we coach the players when they’re with England development teams and how we will support and prepare our players before during and after competition.
"The DNA will detail how we want our future England players and how we want to play"
“Coaches at all levels can start to think about how they answer these same questions at their level in their environment."
The term DNA was coined from Ashworth’s time in the professional game and an experience that saw momentum develop through a consistency in approach.
“The idea of establishing a DNA was one of the things we put in place at one of my former clubs. We wanted to join up some of our practices from first team, through the junior teams to the eight and nine year olds in the academy so there was a real consistent and common way in which we worked. It helped to focus people and ensure they weren’t going off in a different direction.”
Candidates at the conference were presented with a wristband containing the DNA digital content and have been encouraged to contribute to the project in the future.
“We want the DNA to be known as the evolving DNA. We know that it will never be finished as we are always looking to improve and change as required by the modern game,” explained Ashworth.
“We are not claiming to have all the answers and that’s why we want to continually get new input. Ongoing collaboration and communication with every part of the game is crucial to the success of this project.”
“From the ongoing process of discussion and review we will keep tweaking and changing the DNA. We will keep listening to opinions and we will keep improving it."
You can follow updates from The FA Licensed Coaches' Club coaching conference via the @StGeorgesPark Twitter account.
