Coaching opportunity right on 'Kew'

A Sunderland teen is urging others to join Foundation of Light's Coaches Academy as it has helped him become a professional coach now working at the Academy of Light. Nathan Kew, 19, joined the two-year programme after leaving school and has since coached across Europe with Foundation of Light as well as at Sunderland AFC's Academy. Ahead of the Foundation's Coaches Academy information evening on Monday 15th January at the Stadium of Light (7pm), Nathan talks about his time on the course and the opportunities it has offered him. "When I left school the first thing I looked at was the standard college courses in PE," he said. "I came across [Coaches Academy] on safc.com, came to an open day to find out what is was about and thought it would be best for me." Ideal for those who left school in Summer 2017, Coaches Academy offers a combination of qualifications, on-the-job mentoring and work experience alongside some of the country’s best coaching staff with a guaranteed job interview with the Foundation at the end of the programme. Nathan added: "We did a lot on the course such as your BTEC qualifications and afPE which is more fitted towards delivering PE in schools and life skills. "You're working within a real-life environment whilst doing the course alongside people who have been in the industry for years so you get to learn from them both in and out of the office. It's more beneficial than just going to college.

[Working alongside the Foundation coaches] is the biggest pull for the programme compared to a college course because the people around you can only help you develop.

Nathan Kew, Foundation of Light coach

The Foundation is recruiting for a new cohort of students for 2018 and Nathan is urging school leavers who are interested in a coaching career to come along to the open evening to find out more. Nathan said: "With the Foundation, I'm doing Phonics delivery which is a little different to what I've done before and I'm now working with the Foundation Phase (Under 8s) at the Academy of Light. "The Coaches Academy gave me the platform to develop further and hopefully it will continue. "If you get the chance, go for it. It's not easy but it's worth it. Is it the best thing I've done? Definitely."