Category: Club News

by Jeff Richardson

PLAYERS PLANNER w/c 7 August

PLAYERS WEEKLY SCHEDULE: week commencing MONDAY 7th AUGUST 2017

Any NEW PLAYERS wanting to attend any session, please contact Jason Blunt beforehand

(07985 614692 or jason.blunt@sky.com).

MONDAY 7^TH AUGUST:

Under-9s, 10s, 11s and 12s:

Penzance Leisure Centre, Sports Hall. 6 – 7pm. ‘Soccer Sounds’.

Indoor footwear needed. Please note: £3 per child per session starting this week.

TUESDAY 8^th AUGUST:

Under-12s:

Training. Marazion Community Fields. 5.30 – 7pm.

First team + Academy + Reserves + Third team:

Training. Marazion Community Fields. 7 – 8.30pm.

Women’s Team:

Training. Mounts Bay Academy. 7.30 – 9pm.

WEDNESDAY 9^th AUGUST:

Under-9s, 10s, 11s, 12s:

Training. Marazion Community Fields. 5.30 – 7pm.

Seagirls:

Training. Marazion Community Fields. 6.30 – 7.45pm

Academy:

Circuit training. Penzance Leisure Centre. 6 – 7.30pm.

THURSDAY 10^th AUGUST:

Under-9s and 10s:

Training. Marazion Community Fields. 5.30 – 7pm.

Academy + First team + Reserves + Third team:

Training. Marazion Community Fields. 7 – 8.30pm

FRIDAY 11^th AUGUST – nothing planned

SATURDAY 12^th AUGUST:

First team: opening game of the SWPL West Division season:

Away at St Dennis (Boscawen Park, PL26 8DW), Kick off 3pm

SUNDAY 13th AUGUST

Mousehole Women: pre-season friendly away at Illogan RBL (Oxland Park, TR16 4DQ), kick off 3pm

by Jeff Richardson

PLAYERS PLANNER w/c 31st July

PLAYERS WEEKLY SCHEDULE: week commencing MONDAY 31ST JULY 2017

MONDAY 31ST JULY: Under-9s, 10s, 11s and 12s:Penzance Leisure Centre, Sports Hall. 6 – 7pm. Skills/technical session with music. Indoor footwear needed.

TUESDAY 1ST AUGUST: Under-12s: Training. Marazion Community Fields. 5.30 – 7pm.

Reserves: Pre-Season Friendly at St Ives Town. Kick off 6.30pm.

First team + Academy + Third team:Training. Marazion Community Fields. 7 – 8.30pm.

Women’s Team:Training. Mounts Bay Academy. 7.30 – 9pm

WEDNESDAY 2ND AUGUST: Under-9s, 10s, 11s, 12s: Training. Marazion Community Fields. 5.30 – 7pm.

Seagirls: Training. Marazion Community Fields. 6.30 – 7.45pm

Academy: Circuit training. Penzance Leisure Centre. 6 – 7.30pm.

THURSDAY 3RD AUGUST: Under-9s and 10s: Training. Marazion Community Fields. 5.30 – 7pm.

Academy + First team + Reserves + Third team:Training. Marazion Community Fields. 7 – 8.30pm

FRIDAY 4th AUGUST: – nothing planned

SATURDAY 5th AUGUST: First team and Reserves ‘double header’ pre-season friendly at Sticker.

First team – kick off 1.30pm. Reserves – kick off 4pm

Any NEW PLAYERS wanting to attend any session, please contact Jason Blunt beforehand (07985 614692 or jason.blunt@sky.com)

by Jeff Richardson

NOTICE TO PLAYERS week beginning Monday 24th July

Monday 24^th

Academy and First team: Training, 7pm

Tuesday 25^th

Under-12s: Training, 5.30 – 7pm

First team: Pre-Season Friendly at Helston Athletic (TR13 8PJ), report to ground 6.15pm, kick off 7.30pm

Wednesday 26th

Under-9s, 10s, 11s, 12s: Training, 5.30 – 7pm

Academy: Training, 7 – 8.30pm

Thursday 27th

Under-9s, 10s: Training, 5.30 – 7pm

Academy and First team: Training, 7- 8.30pm

Friday 28th

Girls’ teams (‘Seagirls’): Training, 6.30 – 7.45pm

All above sessions are at Mounts Bay Academy.

Please bring BOOTS and Trainers, pads and water

by Jeff Richardson

NEW FRIDAY FOOTBALL COACHING FOR GIRLS!!!

Starting Friday 21^st July and then every Friday!

Led by Jason Blunt, Director of Mousehole AFC Youth Development

At Mounts Bay Academy 3G pitch*

For 6 to 10 year olds: from 6pm to 7pm

For 11 to 14 year olds: from 7pm to 8pm

Just turn up to the first session, have fun, and enjoy being part of the new ‘Mousehole Seagirls’ development

Enquiries to jason.blunt@sky.com

*suitable footwear needed – not studs

by Jeff Richardson

MOUSEHOLE AFC CONFIRM CHRIS HICKS IN CHARGE OF NEW UNDER-12s TEAM

Ahead of the youth trials for U16s, U12s, U10s and U9s this Sunday (9^th) from 9.30am to 2pm at Mounts Bay Academy, Mousehole AFC are delighted to announce another important and exciting step in their player development strategy.

Chris Hicks(pictured), who knows the club inside-out having played hundreds of games for Mousehole First and Reserve teams, returns to the club as manager and coach of the newly-formed under-12s team.

Congratulations and welcome back to Chris, and best wishes for a successful and enjoyable season with his new-look team in the Kernow Youth League.

The club also point out that the bookings link for Sunday’s trials will remain open at www.mouseholeafc.co.uk/trials.

Flying All Together!

by Jeff Richardson

YOUTH TRIALS DATE CHANGE (and other news)

Mousehole’s incoming Head of Football Development Jason Blunt and youth coach Andy Graham will be leading the youth trials for four age groups at Mounts Bay Academy 3G pitch on Sunday (9^th July) from 9.30am to 2pm. In a change to arrangements, the sessions for the under-12s and under-16s have been switched from Saturday to Sunday. The sessions for the under-9s and under-10s will also take place at that time, as previously announced. Online applications can still be made at www.mouseholeafc.co.uk/trials.
The club has entered teams for these four age groups in the Kernow Youth League for the coming season. The club’s statement emphasised how vital the youth programme is to The Seagulls’ future: “The junior levels (5-16) of our player development policy are absolutely critical in the longer-term. We will be ensuring that right at the earliest ages the youngsters are getting the best coaching and experience. Nike, our Club Partner, were also hugely enthusiastic about our youth vision. They totally support our view that we want young kids and their parents to aspire to progress to the elite programme at age 16, and the best way to achieve this is to join the youth scheme at an earlier age so that they gain the long-term benefits of consistent coaching.” The club also stated that youth teams to cover the other age groups will be introduced in due course, and there are plans to run a parallel programme for girls with the aim of progression into Mousehole Women’s highly successful team.
Mousehole AFC have also announced they are to establish a Third team, with former club goalkeeper Craig Nicholls as Manager. The team has been accepted into the Trelawny League Division 4 for the coming season.
The Seagulls’ pre-season friendly matches start this Saturday (8^th) with a ‘double header’ visit to Callington Town. The First team will play against the SWPL Premier Division side at 1pm, and the Reserves will face the hosts’ second team at 4pm.
Jason Blunt has announced he is planning to set up a ‘development centre’ for the 16-23 year olds who attended last Saturday’s ‘elite programme’ trials, with details to follow. Some of those players will feature in the First team’s pre-season matches starting this Saturday, with Blunt as assistant to player-manager Steve Parker-Billinge.

by Jeff Richardson

SEAGULLS’ THIRD TEAM UP & RUNNING!

Mousehole AFC have decided to create a new Third team for the coming season and yesterday evening received the exceptionally good news at the Trelawny League AGM that the team has been accepted into Division 4.

This comes a year after The Seagulls decided to disband its Third team, but the recent massive upsurge of interest and support for the club’s innovative youth-based strategy has caused a positive re-think.

The new Third team manager is Craig Nicholls (pictured), a former Mousehole First team goalkeeper who is ‘well-connected’ in the local football community. A warm welcome – or is it ‘welcome back’? – to Craig from everyone at the club and all the very best wishes for a successful and enjoyable season.

Mousehole Thirds’ rivals in the 13-team division will be Constantine Reserves, Goonhavern Athletic 3rds, Hayle 3rds, Lizard Argyle Reserves, Madron, Penzance Reserves, Perranwell Reserves, Praze-an-Beeble, Probus Reserves, Stithians Reserves, Troon Reserves, and Wendron United 4ths.

The new team will kick off their league programme with a ‘home’ game against Madron on 2^ndSeptember and an away game at Penzance Reserves on 16^th September. They also have an away tie at Probus Reserves in the Arthur Pearce Cup, and a home tie against Constantine Reserves in the Jubilee Cup, with dates for both games to be decided. The venue for Mousehole Thirds’ home games is currently under negotiation and will be announced in due course.

The Trelawny League AGM also confirmed, as expected, the relegation of Mousehole Reserves from the Premier Division to Division 1, after they finished in the second relegation spot last season. The Reserves had a difficult second half of the season – none of it of their own making – with half the players stepping up to fill the vacancies after the sudden departures of First teamers in January, and in the end they just failed to escape the drop – but it was only on goal difference. Manager Harry Tonkin is upbeat and encouraged about the prospects of mounting a serious challenge at the top of Division 1 next season, in a bold attempt to ‘bounce back’ at the first attempt.

by Jeff Richardson

MOUSEHOLE TO PLAY LEEDS UNITED WITH FORMER PREMIERSHIP STAR CO-HOSTING THE ‘ELITE PLAYER’ TRIALS

The Seagulls will welcome Leeds United to Trungle Parc at the start of October, with the Yorkshire club agreeing to play the new Mousehole Elite Player Team in a game to celebrate the creation of their Elite and Youth Player Development Programme and the launch of the refurbished ground after major works this Summer.

Former Premiership player and Leeds United coach Andy Gray (pictured) has also been drafted in to co-host the Elite Player trials this Saturday (1st July) alongside incoming Academy Director Jason Blunt, due to big demand for places. The duo were until recently colleagues at the Championship club, with Blunt in charge of the under-23s and Gray the under-18s.

Jason Blunt Andy Gray

Because of the high number and quality of 16-23 year olds applying for the trials, the club intends to add another six promising 16-17 year-olds to the twelve selected for the first team squad, with all 18 taking part in the elite coaching programme led by Blunt.

Blunt was keen to emphasise the importance of the trials: “We are looking for the best young players in the region with the aptitude, attitude and ambition to take full advantage and to get selected for our EP. As well as joining our state of the art coaching programme, they will now be kicking the programme off playing against my old club Leeds United in a couple of months’ time!”

He added: “Andy (Gray) and I have many years’ experience coaching young players and we love unearthing and fostering talent. We’re hugely looking forward to identifying and then developing the local talent, with our club leaders and coaches Steve Parker-Billinge, Andrew Graham, Matt George and the rest of the team.”

39-year old Andy Gray’s career highlights are 114 goals in over 500 games for the likes of Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Burnley, transfer fees of around £2m, and international caps for Scotland. His father is former Leeds player and manager Frank Gray, and his uncle Eddie Gray was one of the stars of the legendary Leeds team of the 1960s and 70s.

Seagulls’ Chairman Tim Richardson said: “It’s an immense privilege to have two such illustrious coaches in Jason and Andy to kick-start the elite programme. Together with our youth trials coming up next weekend, it shows our desire and commitment to nurturing local talent.”

The online applications link for the trials is at www.mouseholeafc/trials, with the trials scheduled for 12 noon to 5pm this Saturday 1^stJuly, at Mounts Bay Academy 3G pitch.

by Jeff Richardson

“YOUTH TEAMS VITAL TO THE CLUB’S FUTURE”

Part 2 of an interview with the Endorsed Group’s Ezra Chapman

With the youth trials set for the weekend of July 8^th and 9^th (details below), Ezra Chapman of the Endorsed Group, sponsors of Mousehole AFC, continued to speak passionately about the club’s youth vision during his interview for The Cornishman:

“To achieve our goals, the junior levels (5-16) of our Youth policy are absolutely critical. To realise our 5-10 year vision of real player development, we will be ensuring that right at the earliest ages boys and girls are getting the best coaching and experience. We kick off with the 9, 10, 12 and 16 age groups this season, but this will quickly develop.

“The essential aspect of our youth policy is a an integrated playing philosophy that runs right through to the first team, including the elite programme for 16-23 year olds, with each age group having the latest coaching methods and technology suited to their age-related learning styles.”

“Jason Blunt, Academy Director, will co-host the trials alongside the coaching team, and he’ll subsequently work with the coaches for each group. Engaging with the community is going to be key and Jason is also tasked with developing education partners, schools at different ages and a college, to work together to create uniformly high standards and maximise individual players’ development and potential.”

“Nike, our Club Partner, were also hugely enthusiastic about our youth vision. They totally support our view that we want young kids and their parents to aspire to progress to the elite programme at age 16, and the best way to achieve this is to join the Programme at an earlier age so that they gain the long-term benefits of consistent coaching.”

“The next exciting phase is building relationships with Pro Clubs to enable our youth teams to play and compete at the highest level of challenge, so they know how high the bar is, and what they – and we – are all shooting for.”

Online applications for places at the forthcoming youth trials can be made via mouseholeafc/trials. The details of the trials, to be held at Mounts Bay Academy are:

Saturday 8^th July, 12 noon – 5pm: Under 12s and Under -1

Sunday 9^th July, 9.30am – 2pm: Under-9s and Under-10s

The club has entered four teams in the Kernow Youth Football League for next season, age groups as above. Further trials for other age groups will be held in due course in order to complete coverage of the 5-16 age range.

by Jeff Richardson

MOUSEHOLE AFC SECURE 5-YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR

The Endorsed Group, a global recruitment and software organisation led by a local lad Ezra Chapman, has signed off a 5-year sponsorship deal with Mousehole AFC. The sponsorship funding will get the new Academy off the ground and invest in its leadership, cutting-edge technology and infrastructure. Chapman, who was brought up a stone’s throw from the club’s Trungle Parc HQ in Paul, says: “I can genuinely claim to be the most local of all local lads, having been born in the house nearest to the ground. As a kid, I was kicking a ball around Trungle Parc from about 3 years old and finally hung my boots up when I was about 40.” He jokingly added: “Sadly, I never improved much!”

The 5-year deal underpins the launch of the club’s new plan, which is totally centred around player and youth development, and aims to build sustainable success using the latest modern coaching methods across the age range, developing local talent and a unique commitment to draw 66% of The Seagulls’ first team squad from its 16-23 elite programme.

Chapman, who is also an active advisor with the club, explained: “There is a tremendous energy at Mousehole AFC. At Easter this year I had an inspiring chat with a number of progressive Committee members, and we began to construct a new 5-year plan embracing the club’s strengths, its culture, the community and a winning mentality. To be able to support an initiative with the potential to have a such a huge impact on the community and benefit for local kids is hugely motivating.”

“But just as important as sponsoring the academy, I’m working with the club on other developments to ensure successful sustainability. This is going to require a three-pronged approach: the youth and player-development programme, integration with local education and other partners in the community, together with expanding our commercial model – with the Nike partnership being the first step.’”

“Our biggest investment will be in 16-23 year olds, where Jason Blunt – joining us from Leeds United – will personally manage them and help them become the best players they can be. If they’ve “got it” he will get it out of them, that’s for sure. Jason was the stand-out candidate for the post among applicants from pro clubs all around the world. There is a huge gap in player development for the 16-23 age group, with nothing like our scheme outside of Pro Clubs in the South west of the UK. We want young kids and their parents to aspire to get on to the Elite programme at 16. The best way to achieve that will be to join our Academy at an earlier age, where they will benefit from age-related training styles, a footballing philosophy and pro standards that are absolutely consistent throughout, with all coaches being led and trained by Jason.”

“Being from Mousehole, passionate about the club and the local area, it’s an amazing feeling to be helping to bring this vision to life.”

With The Seagulls’ long-term plans taking shape, club Chairman Tim Richardson expressed his delight with the 5-year sponsorship agreement: “This is huge. We’ve tasted success and we want more. But this time round there’s a shift in direction, focusing on youth and player development. We know it’s going to take time but we all totally believe in our player-orientated strategy for the longer term. Off the field, we’ve got a range of major initiatives in the pipeline, which, when they come to fruition, will enable us to develop faster. We thank the Endorsed Group and Ezra for helping us get there. This is just the start. Watch this space.”

Mousehole AFC have announced details of trials to be held at Mounts Bay Academy, with online applications via www.mouseholeafc.co.uk/trials
- Elite Programme (16-23 year olds): Saturday 1st July, 12 – 5pm
- Under-12s and under-16s: Saturday 8^th July, 12 – 5pm
- Under-9s and under-10s: Sunday 9^th July, 9.30am – 2pm