History
Back in 2006, I took my twin 6 year old sons to a training session at our local community club. Seeing the joy on their faces as they kicked a football around with other likeminded children inspired me.
Within weeks I was taking my first FA coaching badge and I had the chance to coach my own team. I took it & since that day back in 2006 I haven’t looked back. Something that started off as a part time interest has grown into a burning passion.
The next 9 years have been some of the most memorable of my life. I've shared lots of special moments with my own team, which will hopefully one day mean as much to the kids as it does to me now.
I have been known, much to the delight of my long suffering partner, to put vast amounts of time, energy & expense into my passion. She supports me wholeheartedly & regularly lets me talk her to sleep with my vivid recollections of a particular goal scored, a move, or a skill a particular child pulled off during training or in a game.
I can honestly say that one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my life is to coach football to children. To see the joy on their faces, their willingness to listen and learn and their determination to excel makes me feel very lucky to be in the postion I am in.
I’ve spent hundreds, maybe thousands of hours of thought trying to identify every detail that will capture the interest and imagination of children.
In February 2010, I found that I could wait no longer. Fourteen years spent working my way up the corporate ladder were consigned to history. It was a case of now or never. Ideas quickly turned into reality. Junior Soccer League (JSL) is the first, which I hope will make a real difference to children involved in football.
The framework for a Summer League for 5-11 year olds was quickly put together in a matter of a few months. It kicked off at the beginning of June and attracted the attention of local media, established youth leagues, as well as the two main football organisations in the local area – The FA and Oldham Athletic FC.
The summer league has been successful in attracting established teams to participate in it whilst also creating new teams via the sister coaching set up, JSL Academy. These teams have gone on to successfully integrate themselves into the league giving an opportunity for more children to experience the thrill of the game on a weekly basis.
JSL aims to put in place the framework to inspire children to aim high and to follow their dreams, whatever they may be.
Kevin Dunkerley, Founder of Junior Soccer League
Within weeks I was taking my first FA coaching badge and I had the chance to coach my own team. I took it & since that day back in 2006 I haven’t looked back. Something that started off as a part time interest has grown into a burning passion.
The next 9 years have been some of the most memorable of my life. I've shared lots of special moments with my own team, which will hopefully one day mean as much to the kids as it does to me now.
I have been known, much to the delight of my long suffering partner, to put vast amounts of time, energy & expense into my passion. She supports me wholeheartedly & regularly lets me talk her to sleep with my vivid recollections of a particular goal scored, a move, or a skill a particular child pulled off during training or in a game.
I can honestly say that one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my life is to coach football to children. To see the joy on their faces, their willingness to listen and learn and their determination to excel makes me feel very lucky to be in the postion I am in.
I’ve spent hundreds, maybe thousands of hours of thought trying to identify every detail that will capture the interest and imagination of children.
In February 2010, I found that I could wait no longer. Fourteen years spent working my way up the corporate ladder were consigned to history. It was a case of now or never. Ideas quickly turned into reality. Junior Soccer League (JSL) is the first, which I hope will make a real difference to children involved in football.
The framework for a Summer League for 5-11 year olds was quickly put together in a matter of a few months. It kicked off at the beginning of June and attracted the attention of local media, established youth leagues, as well as the two main football organisations in the local area – The FA and Oldham Athletic FC.
The summer league has been successful in attracting established teams to participate in it whilst also creating new teams via the sister coaching set up, JSL Academy. These teams have gone on to successfully integrate themselves into the league giving an opportunity for more children to experience the thrill of the game on a weekly basis.
JSL aims to put in place the framework to inspire children to aim high and to follow their dreams, whatever they may be.
Kevin Dunkerley, Founder of Junior Soccer League
