Argyle Community Trust
NEW ground has been broken this week with a member of the Plymouth Argyle family achieving a rare qualification to become a trainer for coaches working on the National Curriculum.
Jason Chapman is a former Argyle apprentice and still competes at a high level as a goalkeeper with St Austell in the Peninsula League, but his day job is all about increasing sports participation as Football Development Manager with Argyle Community Trust.
He has now been selected as one of just 22 coaches across the country to deliver guidelines and workshops that help improve the delivery of PE in schools and external organisations working with active people.
“Jason was nominated to attend a course at Warwickshire University as part of the Premier League and Football Association guidance to improve coaches, specifically within the National Curriculum and Physical Education,” said Trust Manager Mark Lovell.
“The intention is for Jason to become a qualified tutor, training coaches and teachers to deliver sporting elements of the National Curriculum. He is fundamentally becoming a coach for coaches.
“He will work within the region, developing coaches in schools and external agencies. It is highly recommended from the government that all coaches working within schools have a level 3 qualification in AFPE (Association for Physical Education).
“It is not just limited to football coaching, as his skills will be broadened to help coaches across the National Curriculum, working on planning, delivery and assessment.
“Jason is certainly the first coach at Argyle Community Trust to reach this level and possibly also the first from across the South West. There were only 22 places offered on the course across the country, including all professional football clubs.
“It was an application process and we obtained numerous references to support Jason’s inclusion on the course. We also had to provide evidence of his work in a school environment.
“It is a great achievement for Jason and for Plymouth Argyle.”
