“It’s important that players enjoy playing”

England and Tottenham Hotspur striker, Peter Crouch, recently spoke of how his enjoyment of the game at a young age kept him coming back for more. In front of nearly 600 grassroots coaches at Wembley Stadium, Peter was speaking at The FA’s Coaching Association Conference regarding his experiences as a young player, and revealed that it was his enjoyment of the game in his younger days which saw him develop the determination needed to reach the top.

 Crouch also identified the role of the coach in promoting every player’s enjoyment and enthusiasm for the game. “Coaching is so important for every player,” admitted Crouch. “I had a fantastic coach when I was about ten, when I used to play in the Sunday League matches. It was about playing matches, enjoying it and we kept wanting to come back again and again for more. It’s important that players enjoy playing.”

PAPA supports Crouch’s words, as one objective of the project is to help coaches create an environment in youth sport that helps every child enjoy their participation.