Nike Partner Club Event: Manchester FA

Last week was yet another busy one for Kitlocker.com! On Tuesday we gave two Nike Partner Clubs – Droylsden F.C. and AFC Urmston Meadowside – an unforgettable experience. Thanks to the manufacturer and our partners, Manchester FA, boys and girls of each side had a great time. We’ve got proof of that right here!

The Nike Partner Club scheme is available exclusively to FA Charter Standard Community and Development Clubs. It is designed to help raise the profile of the teams involved, as well as boosting coaching standards. There are a host of other benefits available to clubs. We visited Manchester to witness a Nike Partner Club live session for two our many valued NPCs.

Two Nike coaches, who travel the country delivering high-quality training sessions, led the day. Dan Holloway and Jon Phillips drive their Nike Football Live vans nationwide to pass on their knowledge. Both are incredibly experienced and give valuable insights to their players. We have seen the great work of Holloway before, namely at Hartlepool Sixth Form College. It is always an interesting time watching Nike deliver their drills, and Tuesday was not different.

Droylsden’s Under 14 Girls were the first to benefit on the day. The children got to experience a range of different footballing activities with Holloway and Phillips. The physical, mental and technical attributes of the players were all challenged, with drilss ranging from dribbling to match practise. As part of the day, those involved were able to do all this in the latest Nike boots. No stone was left unturned by the Nike Football Live team, and their events are truly unrivalled.

The boys from the same age group and club were next up on the day. After the lads finished their session with the guys from Nike, we gave them a first appearance in the media! With the quality on show, we thought we’d see if the players were ready for interviews that come with success. In addition, we thought we’d throw in a little penalty shoot-out competition, with the winner taking home a free ball. Everyone left the day in high spirits, particularly the winner of the size four Nike Strike Team Match Football! Some great goalkeeping was on display, too, and we made sure the number one didn’t leave empty handed.

As with the girls, the lads were a credit to Droylsden FC, both in terms of character and skill. The parents, carers, and management of the club – in particular Jimmy and Pete – appear to be great role-models for the kids. We’re proud to work with such a well-run club. Jimmy even sat down for a short interview with us, and gave viewers a valuable insight into girls football.

We could also say the same about AFC Urmston Meadowside. Despite the gloomy Mancunian weather, the guardians of the players remained in high spirits through the afternoon. It was also pleasing to see of the connection the side has with their county football association. The relationship the club has with Manchester FA is as strong as they come. Consequently, all involved are able to focus on what is mutually important: football.

Whilst the weather limited our afternoon’s filming opportunities, we were still able to capture some great footage of the day. The players will now always the memories of what was an enjoyable day. Urmston Meadowside’s number five will also be able to show his friends the Olivier Giroud-esque goal scored on the day. What a strike! We couldn’t agree more with the parent shouting, “It’s just like watching Brazil!” in the background.

Manchester FA ensured that the day went smoothly for all involved, and they were brilliant hosts. We’d like to state our gratitude towards both them and Nike for a great day. We’d also like to thank the guardians of each club for welcoming us to the session at Platt Lane. We hope that the players, as well as the coaches, picked up some useful tips from the day. Our strong working relationship with each club is highly valued by us at Kitlocker.com, and we hope to build on that. Most importantly, we hope that everyone had a great time!

We want to help take grassroots football to a new level, and that it includes your club. The Nike Partner Club programme is a great way to do that. If you are interested let us know! You can find out more right HERE on Teamzone. You don’t have to be an existing Kitlocker customer to make the most of this fantastic opportunity.