Angie Rutter

Community coach

Many mums across the UK have already made the successful move into volunteer coaching. Angie Rutter from Washington in Tyne & Wear shares her story...

“My own experience of raising my son has definitely helped me on the football pitch. The kind of organisational and communication skills that mums use every day when caring for their children all come into play within coaching kids. It can just be as simple as knowing what kind of language to use because it’s the same as how I talk to my son – nothing too advanced or complicated.

I’ve also picked up various invaluable life skills through coaching so would encourage anybody thinking about getting involved in coaching to do so as soon as they can.”

Mum's on the ball

Angie, 44, works as an administrator but volunteers as a community coach at her local club Lambton Lions.

Angie has been coaching since 2004 and was inspired to become a coach by her son. Her son wanted to join Lambton Lions but all teams were at their full capacity. After discussions with the club, Angie decided to train as a coach to create a new team at the club that would giver her son and other local youngsters the chance to enjoy football locally.

She gained her Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football through the McDonald’s®  community coaching programme at a course run by Durham FA. She has continued to coach the same boys, successfully seeing them gain three league promotions and expand from a 7-a-side to 11-a-side team.