Northumberland FA's Coach the Coach programme has been named best in the country at the 2022 County FA Recognition Awards.

It scooped the Coach Development Project of the Year award at a ceremony at Wembley Stadium, where top England goal scorer Ellen White handed over the trophy.

The Awards recognise and endorse the best projects, products and services delivered by County FAs over the past season while sharing best practice and learnings from around the country.

A record breaking 235 submissions were entered from the 50 County FAs operating across England, highlighting continuous improvements and showcasing how they are innovating to improve football and increase participation across all levels of the game.

 The eleven categories recognised at the awards were:

• Brand Engagement
• Coach Development
• Digital Engagement
• Employee Engagement
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Football Development
• Insight & Data
• Partnership
• Special recognition
• Women & Girls
• Youth Engagement

Gary Middleton, Football Development Officer (Education) said:

"We're thrilled that our project has received national recognition. Last season we worked with 700 coaches at 16 workshops, as well as providing bespoke club support, 26 podcasts and 2 online webinars - helping our coaching community to improve their skills and coaching practice, which has a direct impact on our young players.

 "We work closely with our colleagues at Newcastle United Academy who have delivered some amazing sessions, alongside coaches developers from The FA. We're delighted that our programme has received national recognition and we look forward to welcoming even more coaches to events this season."

The FA’s Director of Football Development, James Kendall added:

 “It gives us great pleasure to recognise and reward our County FAs and I want to thank each and every one of them for the vital work they deliver across their local communities, ensuring we continue to develop, promote and protect the game so it can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age, background or ability.

I’d like to congratulate Northumberland FA in winning the Coach Development Awards and all of the other County FAs for their dedication and achievements over the past two seasons."

For more information on the work of County FAs, visit: https://www.englandfootball.com/explore/county-football-associations