St Mary’s University, Twickenham (SMU) is pleased to announce a new partnership with The League Managers Association (LMA) and the League Coaches Association (LCA) to offer a 12-week short course on skill acquisition theory.
Starting in January 2025, this innovative program featuring six comprehensive modules is designed to enhance the understanding and application of skill acquisition in professional football coaching at academy and first-team level.
This collaboration brings together St Mary's renowned expertise in sports science with the LMA and LCA's extensive network of professional football managers and coaches. The course, titled LMA & LCA Coach, will be delivered by leading academics from St Mary's, including Dr Andre Roca and Dr Paul Ford, who are recognised experts in this field.
The programme will be delivered as part of the LMA’s commitment to professional development in men’s and women’s football.
In addition to the short course, the collaboration will see LMA and LCA Members supporting the development of St Mary’s coaching students through practical and online education sessions. These sessions will see members from the LMA and LCA share their expertise and experiences with this next generation of coaches.
LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan said, “Coaching is a skill that requires career-long growth and development. At the LMA and LCA, we recognise the exceptional coaching talent that exists throughout the English game and through the LMA Institute of Leadership and High Performance. We are committed to providing opportunities for our members to continuously develop and challenge their knowledge and perceptions around coaching.
“Our partnership with St Mary’s University provides our members with access to leading academic insights, and the format of the 12-week short course has been designed to encourage self-directed exploration of skill acquisition principles, which can enhance the toolkit of our members and enable them to develop better players at all levels.”
Prof Sara Spear, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at St Mary’s, added, “We are delighted to partner with the LMA and the LCA on this short course that will bring together the leading expertise from our academics with that of the coaches and managers at the LMA and LCA. As part of this partnership, our own coaching students at St Mary’s will also benefit from developmental sessions with industry professionals at the two organisations. This is a great opportunity for both St Mary’s and members at the LMA and LCA.”
For more information, please contact lma@leaguemanagers.com