Coaching
At Bedfordshire FA we have Community Disability Coach Les Dedman who does work all around the county. Les is available free of charge to any organisation who work with disabled children or adults. He has undertaken specific training on how to coach disabled players and work to FA guidelines.
Coaching can be either during curriculum time, as an extra curricula activity, or as an evening session to suit your requirements. This opportunity is accessible to schools, colleges, day centre, clubs with a disability section, and organisations that would like to start a football section or receiving football coaching. So far 22 schools/colleges have already received sessions with over 600 players involved.
Sessions are now being planned from September, and there are still a few dates available, so if there are any schools, colleges, clubs, day centres or organisations that would like further information on how to access this activity then please contact Les Dedman at Bedfordshire Football Association, or e-mail les.dedman@bedfordshirefa.com
With so many players now receiving coaching they would love to get more involved in training and playing on a regular basis, so we are looking for clubs to come forward and start up their disability section, we at Bedfordshire FA will only to willing to offer all the help and assistance that we can. Already we have AFC Kempston, AFC Dunstable and Crawley Green FC involved with two mores club showing an interest, so a few more would mean that we could look at starting our own league. Any club interested then please contact Les Dedman at Bedfordshire FA
Adult Summer League
The adult PAN disability ability counts summer league is now well underway with 11 teams from both Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire taking part. When you consider that when the league started just two seasons ago only 4 teams entered it shows just how far the league has progressed and this is down to players wanting to be involved.
Based on players’ ability, in accordance with FA guidelines, we have the teams into three divisions and each team will play each other on a round - robin basis on the dates that we meet, with all results counting towards final league positions. All players taking part will receive a medal of achievement at the end, with the winners of each league also receiving a trophy.
Games will be 7 a-side however this can be flexible depending on how many players have available on the day. Games will kick-off at around 10.30 am and we normally finish at about 1.30 pm, giving everybody to get back to base and home early enough to put their feet up!! All games will be played on grass at Leighton United FC.
With two rounds of games played lead the way in the Championship, in the League and in the Conference. All games have been very close with no clear favourites at this moment in time and it is anticipated that final positions will not be decided until after the final rounds of matches on 26th September. Remaining dates are:-
Friday 29th August
Friday 26th September
If there are any clubs, day centres, colleges, groups or individuals that would like to play in an organised league or festival, then please contact Les Dedman at Bedfordshire FA. The invitation is open to both male and female players, even if you do not have enough players to make up your own team, please make contact , nobody will be turned away as we always have teams that are looking for players. It would be great to have a separate female league so please don’t be shy ladies come along and enjoy the game.
Eastern Region Ability Counts League
The F.A. have agreed that the Eastern Region Ability Counts League can run again this season and we are attending a meeting in September to finalise the format and dates.
It is anticipated that the league will be divided into two separate division based on players ability, and this year it is planned that Bedfordshire will be entering two teams.
Players will be selected for the county squads from teams that compete in the Adult Summer League, and play against teams from within our region, namely, Essex, Cambridge, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Suffolk and Norfolk.
Further news will be posted on the web site in September but if there is anybody interested in taking part or help out them please contact Les Dedman at Bedfordshire FA - les.dedman@bedfordshirefa.com