Found at Marks Park Sports Club is SuperSport United Soccer Schools whose young aspirant footballers train there.
To find out more about the football school, one of its coaches, Marvin Benson, shared on what sets the sporting school apart and how he hopes to affect change within the community past the confines of a football pitch.
For six days a week, young aspirant football players between four and 12 years old make their way to the facility for varying reasons. Some might already be part of a football club while others might just want the social benefits of being part of a team. No matter what their drive may be, Benson said they strive to improve one’s technical foundation in the game.
“This is a major part in football because if you do no have a good technical foundation the rest will not come together for you.” This helps develop a better tactical understanding which he said encourages confidence to play the game which is a huge part of it.
Football has been a part of Benson’s life since he could remember, playing the sport in the streets of Westbury as a child. Coaching for more than a decade, he hopes to create better footballers and next to that, better people. “We are not only here to teach kids football skills, but life skills as well. Even if they do not become professional players, I would have achieved a lot if they become successful human beings.”
Benson said children come from various backgrounds and this requires him to have a certain level of experience in motivating them differently. “Some might have urged by their parents, others might have a small interest in playing and their motivation might not be as strong as others.”
He said a lot of the times as a coach, when motivating the young players it may sound harsh, and depending on the child, this could have a positive or negative effect on a child. Tough love does not work for everybody and his approach comes down to understanding the individual and, as a coach, truly caring about where it is you envisage this footballer ending up.
Ultimately, he revels at the idea of the reward it would be seeing children go on to become successful in all their varying ways in life, as that is what it is all about for this coach.
Related articles:
SuperSport United Soccer School Greenside keeps active during the lockdown
