Shortly before Christmas last year, the Club announced a partnership with Pro:Direct Academy Luton (PDAL) who are based at Beds FA HQ on Skimpot Road.
The partnership will enable the Club to field U18’s and U19’s teams next year taking advantage of the wonderful new ATP facility built at Creasey Park. It will also enable the Club to field a team in the FA Youth Cup and help re-establish the pathway system from the Youth Section all the way into the First Team.
With application papers submitted and deposits paid to the relevant leagues we can now look forward to seeing more of our homegrown talent appear in the First Team in the future. Gianluca Sinatra who made his impressive debut away at Biggleswade Utd on Saturday has come through the youth ranks, L’kharmi Gale through the Development Team, while Tyler Fry is a PDAL graduate.
Another benefit of our partnership with PDAL has been the emergence of DKD Coaching from the PDAL stable. This enables UEFA B coaches to provide additional training to our Youth Section youngsters for less than £10/session.
I went along to one of the DKD Development Sessions on Wednesday evening at Beds FA to learn more about what was on offer.
Sure enough there were some familiar faces (players and parents) all enjoying the high quality coaching the boys were receiving. It was good to see eleven of our 11-13 years olds receiving the same quality of coaching normally the preserve of players in the semi-professional game, but adapted here to younger heads, bodies, legs and feet. Split into two groups they concentrated on different aspects of the game and were coached in small groups of no more than seven at any time.
U11’s coach & Matchday Manager, Wayne Upton, told me he had seen significant improvements in the quality of his team’s performance since some of the players had been coming to the DKD Development Centre. A 7-0 win on Sunday emphasising his point perfectly.
The summer break will see DKD take over the Dev Centre training of our 4 – 6 year olds as Coach & Manager John Sanders takes over an U7’s team for the new season.
The plan is to roll out this level of additional coaching to every section of the Club. DKD & PDAL are committed to developing a philosophy and curriculum of coaching to the Youth section that enhances team performance and a manager’s match day experience.
The exclusive nature of the partnership between Dunstable Town FC & DKD Coaching is a huge bonus for both parties.
The Club is committed to trying to provide the highest quality youth section offering the best value for money in and around the local area.
With a heritage of former players including George Best, Jeff Astle, Kerry Dixon, and more recently Peter Kioso the arrival of PDAL & DKD Coaching to the Club signals the desire to help every one of our players, regardless of age or background, achieve their potential and provide the Club with a ready supply of gifted and talented players moving seamlessly through the age groups.