The Player Pathway and Sports Career Pathway students have impressed on the pitch since returning in January, playing in competitive fixtures while gaining real-world experience.
Player Pathway
To develop on the pitch, our players receive four training sessions per week, coached by UEFA A & B Licensed coaches. The players cover a wide range of match-specific topics throughout the term to optimise performance on the pitch.
In the first week of the term, our players focused on retaining the ball and building from the back and controlling possession. This helps the players understand their shape and when to rotate to accommodate the needs of the team. The players have also covered the transition from attack to defence, which primarily focuses on shape and organisation. Their third topic covers the press, both triggering and reacting.
The players then moved onto the ‘penetrate’ module, which covered a number of ways which they could unlock the opposition defence, whether that’s over the top or on the ground. Repeating a previous task, the players undertook another session covering the transition from attack to defence. The coaches then worked with our players to develop their defending skills, as they covered a ‘blocking’ session.
Heading into the final weeks of the term, the players received attack-focused sessions. These sessions covered a few topics, including creating chances from both wide and narrow positions, and the transition from defence to attack. The final training session covered emergency defending, which included blocking shots and reacting to crosses.
Our second-year students travelled to Lloret de Mar this term to compete in MIC 2024. The players performed above expectations and qualified for the final 16 of the tournament after defeating IDA Valencia 1-0 and Sant Feliu de Guixols 4-0, but were defeated and knocked out 2-0 by Espanyol.
Second-year player Gabriel Vanterpool received a call-up for St Kitts-Nevis this term. The midfielder travelled across the Atlantic to take part in the CONCACAF U20 Men’s Championship, before being called up to the first-team. Gabriel then travelled to San Marino for two games, where St Kitts-Nevis won 3-1 and drew 0-0.
Our brand-new girls team continued to gain minutes on the pitch, as they faced off against Manchester United Foundation, where County came out on top. The girls also travelled to ‘Pro Football Arena’ for an off-site training session, led by Head of Football Michael Raynes.
Sports Career Pathway
The Sports Career Pathway students have gained more pitch experience this term, as part of their enrichment scheme.
Coaching
The Coaching students continued to deliver a PE curriculum to schools around the local area, while coaching those students through games.
Alongside the Strength and Conditioning students, the Coaching pathway delivered a number of sessions for an SEN school who visited Stockport Sports Village. The students organised a number of activities for the visitors to partake in, and set up a small-sided game at the end of the session.
Strength and Conditioning
The Strength and Conditioning students delivered a training session to an SEN school, who visited Stockport Sports Village this term. The students hosted a variety of activities and delivered a warm-up session, ready for our Coaching students.
Engaging in warm-up sessions, the students travelled to Pro Football Arena. They delivered a number of sessions to help our Player Pathway students warm-up for training.
Analysis
The analysis students continued their enrichment by attending County’s Junior Academy games at Cheadle Hulme School. Each student has been assigned an age group, and have been tasked to clip down key moments from each game and report back to the designated coach.
