Name: Jan Jagłowski
Currently Club: Jubodhol Bradford

Tell us about how and why you got involved in coaching football?

I have always been passionate about football. Unfortunately, I do not have the physical conditions that would allow me to play regularly but I wanted to get involved - that is how I ended up at BEAP in Bradford, where I gained basic knowledge, did my first course - I2CF, and where I met my friends from my current club. After a year, I am finishing UEFA C course, and I hope that next month I will be officially UEFA C coach. 

What do you enjoy about coaching football?

I spend time on the pitch, coaching and talking about the game I love. I influence the players; I try to make them better on and off the pitch. If I see that what I do works - it gives me incredible satisfaction.

What is your best memory of coaching?

Definitely first win with my u9 team! 

What do you want to achieve in coaching football?

What I would like to achieve is to make many young people enjoy the game, to help them reach their potential, and to be remembered by them forever. In terms of personal achievements - I would like football to become my main source of income in the future. I'm not talking about working at a pro level in the Premier League - that's where a lucky few get to, but what could be better than doing what you love full time?

What are the biggest obstacles you have faced in coaching football?

Parents. Sometimes parents forget that players are just kids, expecting unimaginable things from them, playing at a professional level after just one training session a week. Or vice versa - not fully involved - they drop off and pick up their children at scheduled times, do not support them at matches, do not watch them play. This takes away a lot of joy, and after all, football should be fun for each of these kids!

Who’s had the biggest influence in your coaching career and why?

If I must choose only one person, it would be Ishfaq Hussain who taught me the basics. 

I am not an experienced coach, so everyone I have had contact with, whether it was a coach developer from West Riding FA, or coaches I met during internships, or coaches I only talk to through social media platforms, they all gave me something. They change my approach, teach, develop, and allow me to look at all kinds of problems differently during my coaching adventure. Because it is an adventure - I hope it will be a very long one.

What advice would you give to people wishing to get involved in coaching football?

Just do it! There are no limits to where you are from, whether you have played or have experience. If you don't know how, contact me, talk to a coach at your local park or check online - all the information is on the West Riding FA website. Don't be afraid of not knowing how - every coach is different, everyone has a different idea of how to play, and none of those ideas are wrong. So, get started, and remember you will never stop learning!