The inaugural event of the Lincoln City Grassroots Coaches Club was held a couple of weeks ago at Riseholme College, marking the start of an exciting new series of professional development sessions for grassroots football coaches.

Hosted in partnership with Lincoln City FC, this first event featured none other than Lincoln City FC’s Head Coach, Michael Skubala, who delivered an engaging and insightful session on the topic of "Transitioning from 11v11 to Small-Sided Games."

Aimed at grassroots football coaches across the county, the session combined both classroom theory and practical application, allowing attendees to dive deep into the tactical shifts between full-pitch matches and smaller-sided games. Skubala’s expertise brought the session to life, as he explained the importance of adaptability in coaching and how adjusting to smaller formats of the game can enhance player development, improve decision-making, and foster creativity on the pitch.

The event began with a detailed theory session, where Skubala shared his thoughts on how small-sided games can be used as an effective coaching tool to help players build technical skills, increase their understanding of space, and prepare for larger-format matches. His emphasis on the value of flexibility and reading situations in training methods resonated with coaches keen to find new ways to engage and develop their players.

Following the classroom work, participants had the opportunity to witness Skubala’s approach in action, as he worked directly with Lincoln City Academy players in a practical demonstration. Observing Skubala translate theory into practice on the pitch gave the attending coaches invaluable insights into how they could apply these methods within their own teams.

The event was a fantastic success, and the first of several scheduled sessions as part of the Grassroots Coaches Club. Upcoming events will feature a lineup of expert coaches including Assistant Manager, Tom Shaw, First Team Coach, David Bridges, Head of Academy, Calum Oakenfold, and First Team Goalkeeper Coach, Scott Fry, each bringing their own unique experience and knowledge to the table. These sessions will continue to focus on enhancing the skills of grassroots coaches, helping them develop the next generation of local football talent.

For those who missed the first session, there’s still time to join the Grassroots Coaches Club and attend the remaining workshops. Each session promises to provide hands-on learning and expert insight that will support coaches in building their knowledge and elevating their coaching standards.

To sign up for the next session, click here

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from some of the best in the game and take your coaching to the next level.

The Lincoln City Grassroots Coaches Club is set to be a game-changer for local football, providing top-level professional development for grassroots coaches across Lincolnshire.

Michael Skubala, Head Coach at Lincoln City FC, said: "It's great to meet some of the grassroots coaches who put their time and effort into community clubs and local clubs, which is absolutely fantastic. It's always nice to come and see the grassroots coaches around the place. I really enjoyed that and speaking to the guys who're working hard. We looked at how we can use small sided games, how we can use individual and paired practices into 11v11, and talked about how we can develop the youth players of tomorrow.

Hopefully, the coaches can take away the ability to play around with their practices if they've got a real good focus on what it is they want to develop. Hopefully they can see how small sided can be a really big and effective way in transitioning the concepts and elements of the game into whatever format it is their teams are playing."

Stuart Houlton, Business Support Officer at Lincolnshire FA, said: "The Lincoln City Grassroots Coaches Club is an incredible opportunity for local coaches to learn from some of the best minds in football. Michael Skubala's session on transitioning from 11v11 to small-sided games was a perfect example of how we can help develop the next generation of coaches and players in Lincolnshire. We’re excited to continue this journey with more expert-led sessions to come."