Danny Ward: We?ve got the best adult players in Thanet

Thursday 25th May 2006

The success of Ramsgate’s twin-track approach to youth football over the past few years, with the Senior Section administering the more competitive football in the Kent Youth League and the Youth Section looking after East Kent Youth League sides, has now been seen to bear fruit with a team of largely home grown local players taking the club through back-to-back promotions from the Kent League to Ryman Division One and now up to the Ryman Premier League.

The Southwood Stadium club is now taking youth coaching a step further with a new Player Development Programme, derived from the good practices that have evolved over the past 5 years as well as the introduction of some of the latest innovative thinking from the FA and other football-related organisations. To implement this programme the club will be appointing a Senior Youth Coach, who will also be responsible for the Under 18s. The club are also ensuring that coaches are qualified to at least FA Level 2, and that players and parents are provided with advice on health and nutrition. “The Club’s youth policy over the past few years has been to provide local youngsters with the best opportunity of reaching their full potential, with a view to seeing them progress to the club’s 1^st Team and hopefully beyond”, explained assistant manager Danny Ward.

“We’ve got the best adult players in Thanet playing for the club now, mainly through our own youth set up, and now we want to make sure we attract the best youngsters as well.

“The new programme sees us keeping the more proficient players integrated with the senior sides, enabling them to benefit from many of the facilities that are made available to the 1^st Team, including more specialist coaching and mixed training sessions.”

The club will be fielding teams in all age groups of the Kent Youth League in 2006/07, which is Under 13s through to Under 18s, and to fully implement the programme across all these age groups will mean more people getting involved - anyone interested in assisting with running a team or to get involved in coaching, or is interested in applying for the position of Senior Youth Coach, should get in touch with club secretary Martin Able on 07958-993959.

Club website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk