Academics from the Football and Performance Analysis department at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (SMU) were invited to present at the recent League Managers Association (LMA) and League Coaches Association (LCA) ‘Skill Acquisition Masterclass’ event at St George’s Park.
St George’s Park is the English Football Association's national football centre and home to all 23 of England's national football teams.
The event saw expert coaches from across the game come together to hear from speakers, including Dr Andre Roca and Dr Paul Ford from St Mary’s. Andre and Paul are both highly regarded experts in the field of skill acquisition.
Attendees were also able to see examples of football coaching in action, with SMU’s Ashley Gumbrell and Mike Gilham supporting colleagues Andre and Paul to bring theory to life on the pitch.
This highly prestigious event, attended by former professional players and current serving managers and coaches from all levels of the male and female game, was also an opportunity for St Mary’s to announce details of an exciting new partnership between St Mary’s and the LMA/LCA. The partnership will see members of the LMA/LCA engage in taught content delivered by the University.
Speaking on the event, Lecturer in Football Development and Coaching at SMU Ashley Gumbrell said, “The masterclass was a fantastic opportunity for St Mary’s to showcase itself as an industry leader in the field of football coaching and skill acquisition, with our future partnership building on this event to deliver continued insight to football professionals.”
