Meet the staff who work tirelessly to provide disabled people across Milton Keynes with the opportunity to play for, and support the MK Dons.
Dennis Woolford
Inclusion Manager
The Inclusion Manager is responsible for the MK Dons Sport and Education Trust (SET) Inclusion Team currently working with disability and special needs groups, Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Communities and people at risk.
Sports Qualifications: FA L2 and Coaching Disabled Footballers awards / Working with Blind Footballers / Sports Leaders Tutor / Soccerbility Tutor / KS 2 & 3 modules / SAQ Instructor / Youth Worker qualification / Community Sports and Junior Sports Leader tutor (CSLA & JSLA).
Favourite players: Dennis Bergkamp / Thierry Henry / George Eastham (does anyone remember him?).
Sporting heroes: Sir Steve Redgrave - He beat all his personal health challenges to win five Olympic gold medals and our very own Paul Mitchell who has overcome his own injury disappointments to set such positive examples to our young people in MK.
Teams I support: Arsenal (Always) / MK Dons (My adopted home town team) / Barnet (I was there).
Staff biography:
I played football in London and the South Midlands from 1968 to around 1978 during which time I left school, went to college and, much to my Mum's disappointment, became a salesman for JVC. I spent the next thirty years in the sales profession building skills in management, negotiation and sales training. I moved to Milton Keynes in 1984 with my wife Kim and joined the Dons as a casual coach in 2003 as part of the first intake of staff when the club moved to MK.
Since that time I have worked as the project officer for Football First and last year transferred full time to the MK Dons SET as Inclusion Manager. This was a largely seamless change and has enabled me to continue to support the development of social inclusion work based around the positive partnerships previously established.
Karl White
Disability Officer
The New Football League Pools awarded MK Dons Sport and Education £60,000 in September 2009. The project Make Every Player Count, a leading project of The Football League Trust and supported by The New Football league Pools, will see MK Dons SET deliver a three year, PAN Disability Scheme that will develop football opportunities for people with all types of disabilities.
Activities included in the Make Every Player Count Project are:
Curriculum time coaching, After School, Extra Curricular activities, School Assemblies, Match days, tournaments, Disability Centre of Excellence, Holiday courses
Coaching Qualifications: Level 2 certificate in coaching Football, FA Youth Modules 1 and 2, FA Coaching Disabled Footballers, Community Sports Leader Award, Coaching Blind Footballers, Coaching Deaf Footballers, FUNdamentals, Long Term Athlete Development, AOTT'S Course.
Favourite current player: Luka Modric
Sporting Hero: David Beckham
Team I support: Tottenham
Staff Biography:
I started at MK Dons Sport and Education Trust in November 2009. Prior to that I was at Northampton Town Football in the Community as a part time coach whilst studying at college. I then volunteered to help with the Disability Football team at Northampton, I found this coaching very rewarding and found myself getting more and more involved with teams on a match day as well as training.
After completing a BTEC National Diploma at College I went to work in America coaching Soccer for 6 months. Upon my return I took the opportunity to become the Full time Disability Officer at Northampton Town FITC. I am currently undertaking my Level 3 certificate in Coaching Football which will help increase my knowledge of coaching thus providing better quality sessions to the participants.
Danny Hayter
Coach
Coaching Qualifications: Level 2 certificate in coaching Football, FA Youth Modules 1 and 2, FA Goalkeeping Coaching Award Level 1
Favourite current player: Andrés Iniesta
Sporting Hero: Kenny Sansom / Daley Thompson
Team I support: Crystal Palace
Staff Biography:
My first involvement with disability football and indeed coaching came in 2005 when introducing my son Stephen to the then newly created MK Special Dons, a project piloted by MK council and 'Football in the community' aimed at bringing a provision to youngsters in Milton Keynes with disabilities to play football. Seeing the enjoyment had by players along with the benefits both physically and in personal development that the sessions provided I soon became a volunteer.
Rapidly finding myself more and more involved in the project, as a committee member and club welfare officer and the rewards that this brought I soon progressed into the coaching role. Currently I am developing my coaching in view of completing my FA Youth awards. This I feel will allow me to improve the quality of provision I give both to MK disability and in my role as U14's coach at the Berks & Bucks FA Centre of Excellence.
David Cattigan
Coach
Coaching Qualifications: Level 1 certificate in Coaching Football, Age Appropriate course
Favourite current player: Gianluca Nani
Sporting Hero: Gerry Daly / Bobby Charlton
Team I support: Manchester United
Staff Biography:
I first became interested in football coaching when I was introduced to the MK Special Dons by my brother in law, when I went to watch one of their sessions back in 2007.
Watching the enjoyment on the faces of the young people involved and learning the benefits they would gain in their everyday life from taking part in these football sessions, really inspired me and when I was asked if I would like to help , I of course said yes. I soon became a regular coach for the youngsters and completed my level 1 Certificate in football coaching. I am now working towards my level two Certificates, and also my Module 1 Youth award.
Martyn Leigh
Conference / League Team Manager
Coaching Qualifications: Level 1 certificate in coaching Football, Community Sports Leader Award
Favourite current player: Luciano Becchio
Sporting Hero: Lucas Radebe
Team I support: Leeds United
Staff Biography:
I have 12 years experience of working with adults with disabilities. I am currently working for MK Council as a Senior Community Access Worker at Tower Drive Day Centre. As part of my varied role, I am responsible for ensuring that service users have the opportunity to participate in activities that promote their general health and wellbeing. One way that I have been able to successfully accomplish that goal has been through the involvement with the MK Dons Disability Football project for the past 4 years. During that time, I have been responsible for managing the Adult League level players in weekly training sessions, friendlies and competitive fixtures. It has been an enjoyable experience to witness the remarkable growth from where we first started and I am looking forward to playing a part in the future success of the project.
James Joyce (Juice)
Coach
Coaching Qualifications: Level 1 coaching certificate
Favourite current player: Steven Gerrard
Sporting Hero: Tommie Smith & John Carlos
Team I support: Liverpool
Staff Biography:
I have been supporting people with learning disabilities for the last 6 and half years at Tower Drive and really enjoy my job and have recently passed my NVQ Level 3. I have been coaching at the Dons for 2-3 years now and have really enjoyed working with the players and helping them to develop their confidence, skills and all round game! It's been a real treat to see the players go from ok players to great footballers who are willing to work for each other for the benefit of the team and I look forward to carrying this on in the future!
Michael Felce
Wheelchair and Conference Team Manager
Coaching Qualifications: Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football, FA Youth Module 1, WFA Coaching Wheelchair Football, WFA Wheelchair Referee, Coaching Deaf Footballers Course
Favourite Current Player: Scott Parker
Sporting Hero: Martin Johnson
Team I support: MK Dons
Staff Biography:
I first got into football coaching when I started helping out with a local team. I began coaching with MK Dons SET through them starting up a wheelchair team that my little brother plays for. I have become more involved with other disability teams like the newly formed Deaf team and I am also the Manager of the Conference side.
Now due to my high levels of involvement in coaching I am currently in the process of completing my Level 2 Certificate in football coaching, and am hoping to attend more courses to broaden my knowledge to be able to provide the best coaching sessions possible for the players.
