Imran Qureshi
Head of Cricket
A batter who never fails is a batter who never tried anything. I would rather see you get out attacking.
- Level 3 ECB Coach
- 14 years at Groundup
- Former club captain, 2004–11
Home · Coaches
The people
on the grass
Forty-two coaches, and all but two of them volunteers. Every one holds a current governing-body qualification, a background check and a first-aid certificate. Nineteen came through this club as players.
9 coaches
Showing the nine section leads. The remaining thirty-three assistant coaches and volunteers are listed in the season handbook.
Hina Baloch
Cricket · Batting & U14s
Half of batting is deciding early. We spend more time on that than on the shot itself.
- Level 2 ECB Coach
- 6 years at Groundup
- Regional women's squad, 2016–19
Sohail Anwar
Cricket · Spin & Seam
Pace is a gift. Accuracy is a decision you make every session for four years.
- Level 2 ECB Coach
- 9 years at Groundup
- Runs the winter indoor programme
Danish Raza
Head of Football
If a player has not touched the ball in five minutes, that is my failure, not theirs.
- UEFA B Licence
- 11 years at Groundup
- Semi-pro, 2008–14
Sana Mahmood
Football · Girls' Programme
We went from nine girls to fifty-one in two seasons. Nobody was waiting to be asked twice.
- UEFA C Licence
- 4 years at Groundup
- Also the club's welfare officer
Tariq Nadeem
Football · U8 & U10 Foundation
At eight years old, the only thing I am coaching is whether they want to come back next week.
- FA Level 1 · Youth Module 2
- 7 years at Groundup
- Parent volunteer turned coach
Marcus Idowu
Football · Goalkeeping
Keepers spend ninety minutes alone with their own head. We train that as hard as the handling.
- FA Level 2 Goalkeeping
- 3 years at Groundup
- Covers all four football squads
Master Ji-Ho Park
Chief Instructor · 5th Dan
The belt is a record of attendance and honesty, not of talent. Talent cannot be graded.
- 5th Dan Kukkiwon certified
- 16 years at Groundup
- National referee, WT rules
Ayesha Siddiqui
Taekwondo · Poomsae & Juniors
Poomsae is where the shy ones find out they are not shy. It happens every single term.
- 3rd Dan · Poomsae specialist
- 8 years at Groundup
- Graded here from white belt
Standards
What every
coach holds
Nobody takes a session alone at this club without all four of these in date. No exceptions, including for the head coaches.
Governing-body badge
ECB, FA or Kukkiwon certification appropriate to the age group they lead.
Background check
Enhanced check, renewed every three years and logged with the welfare officer.
Safeguarding course
Completed before their first session and refreshed every two years.
Emergency first aid
Current certificate. At least one first-aider on every pitch, every session.
Join the staff
We will train
you from scratch
Most of our coaches started as parents who stayed to help with cones and never left. No experience is required to begin.
We pay for the qualification, the background check and the first-aid course. In return we ask for one evening a week through a season.
If you played the sport at any level, or never played it at all and simply want to be useful, both are fine. Send a message and we will put you with a section lead for a night to see how it feels.
We will pay for your
badge if you give us
two seasons
Level 1 courses are funded twice a year for volunteers who commit to a season. Ask the section lead or send us a message.