East and South East Asian Heritage Month: Chris Fan
East and South East Asian Heritage Month takes place every September to celebrate the contributions of East and South East Asian communities.
To celebrate this, we are interviewing people in West Riding with East and South East Asian backgrounds to hear more about their grassroots football stories...
Name: Chris Fan
Currently Club: LS27 FC
Tell us about how and why you got involved in coaching football?
As per most coaches, you get involved due to your child being part of the club. Since the start 6 years ago, I now the club secretary and club treasurer.
I messaged a friend whose child was part of the club, and it turned out that they started a mini soccer session for 4–6-year-olds. My son was 4 at the time and was a striker, but he was ready for the next step on his grassroots journey. I came to watch and before you know I was asked by the now Chairman of the club if I would be interested in helping and the rest as you say is history.
What do you enjoy about coaching football?
I love working with kids, I enjoy seeing them do things in games that we practice on. The most rewarding thing is being part of my kid’s passion though.
What is your best memory of coaching?
A young lad in my team, who was a late bloomer in the world of football, scored his first goal after about 20 games and his face was red with passion, tears running down his face, knee slid. The result didn’t matter, he was so happy. That’s why I enjoy coaching.
What do you want to achieve in coaching football?
A bigger platform for the kids in the club to grow the club more and more. When I started this role within the club, we had about 120 kids, today we have 240 kids. We had 3 girls in the club and now we have close to 40 with 4 girls teams including my own daughter, who is in our next seasons u7s.
What are the biggest obstacles you have faced in coaching football?
Funding and finding pitches/facilities that do not cost the earth
Who’s had the biggest influence in your coaching career and why?
The kids I coach. I have coached approximately 30-40 kids in my team but also run our minis, which has seen over 40 kids progress through to the younger teams in the club. Not all kids are the same and learning to adapt to each kid whether it be ability, personality, culture, heritage or whatever it maybe has been a great challenge but one I have enjoyed as ultimately at the end of the day, they are all kids and they just want to play. I have enjoyed growing as a coach because of them.
What advice would you give to people wishing to get involved in coaching football?
Enjoy it, try your best and listen to people but ultimately do what you think is best for your kids. You won’t please everyone but if your intentions are right by the kids, no one can say you didn’t give it your all. Also winning comes in many forms, scoring your first goal, making your first save, making a last-ditch tackle is winning, watching your kids develop, is winning. The results are irrelevant in most cases.