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Gérard Jones
Gérard Jones, MSc PGCE
About
Contact Gerard
PhD Research
Sports Directorship
Interviews & Speaking
Gérard Jones
Gérard Jones, MSc PGCE
About
Contact Gerard
PhD Research
Sports Directorship
Interviews & Speaking
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Coaching Journey

About Gérard

Gérard Jones is an FA UEFA A Licensed Coach and FA Advanced Youth Award holder with around two decades experience, having worked in high performing environments in the UK, USA and Morocco.


Former Elite Coach Educator with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, he currently serves as a Director of Coaching, Sporting City - North Region at MLS Sporting Kansas City whilst studying a PhD in Skill Acquisition.


A former U19 Youth Team Player at then Conference National Halifax Town AFC, where he also volunteered coaching in the club's Center of Excellence working with U12 and U14 ages. Leaving the Club in 2008, he went on to coach for local FA Skills working with U5-U8s, as well as coaching in primary schools delivering after-school clubs and breakfast club sessions. These experiences led to creating his first coaching business Gérard School of Football in 2009 based out of the University of Hull, running development centers, coaching in primary and secondary schools and offering private one-to-one training throughout Hull & East Yorkshire. He grew the company into becoming listed among the Top 100 Best Business Start-ups in the UK in 2010 (Startups 100 Awards), gaining national exposure, securing sponsorship from multi-billion pound British Land PLC through St Stephen's Shopping Center and later became a Director of Coaching of Premier League Arsenal FC Soccer Schools, operating one of the largest soccer school franchises in the world at the time.


Following on from this, he established a Coach Education & Player Development company (called Premier Skills Yorkshire), delivering mentoring support to grassroots clubs throughout West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, whilst also running Advanced Skills Centers for players aged from 5-12 years old with locations in Hull, Bradford, Leeds and York. With Premier Skills, Gérard also travelled to New Zealand delivering a player-development course linked with Premier League EPPP Category 1 West Brom Albion Academy. 


Whilst studying the UEFA B Licence course, he volunteered coaching with various semi-professional and professional club youth teams and academies, and eventually became an U11 Academy Coach at then EFL Rochdale AFC's famed EPPP Category 3 Academy. Whilst with Rochdale, Gérard coached across all ages from U8-U16, was responsible for the 12-16 Day-Release program and later became the U12 and U14 Lead Academy Coach. During his time with Rochdale, the Academy became recognised as the #1 Academy for Productivity in England across all Cat 3 Academy Clubs (2nd year succession), #3 all 92 pro clubs and the 2nd highest in the English Football League (Source: Premier League)
During his time with Rochdale, the Academy produced more home grown players to play 1st team football than any other club at Cat 3 in England. 


Whilst as a part-time Academy Coach at Rochdale from 2010-2015, he worked as Academy Coach with Richmond International Academic & Soccer Academy (RIASA), a world-leading private foreign collegiate academy based in Leeds and London. Joining RIASA in 2013 to coach U19 Youth Team and Reserve teams, alongside first-team players with semi-professional Eccleshill United FC, he left Rochdale to join RIASA full-time as the Head Academy Coach in 2015, which saw him coach student-athletes aged 18-24 across a range of roles, as U19 Head Coach and Reserve Head Coach in the Youth Alliance and East Lancashire League, as a Head Coach/Manager with Eccleshill United FC in the North-East Counties League, as well as Head Coach / Head of Coaching at Bradford College Football Academy (ECFA Cat 2) and U21 Assistant/Development Squad Coach with Bradford City AFC.


In early 2016 he joined Eastside FC, a 501(c3) youth soccer club in South-East Michigan as the Club's Director of Coaching, helping to grow the Club significantly for nearly two years with back-to-back State Championships, creating and implementing the club curriculum and philosophy and achieving Director's Academy Status.


Upon returning back to England in the summer of 2017, Gérard became the Head of Academy Coaching at EFL League One professional Bristol Rovers FC (EPPP Cat 3 Academy), responsible for player and primarily coach development for U7-U18s, sitting on the Club's Technical Board alongside the First-team Manager, Assistant Manager and Academy Manager.  


He quickly returned to the U.S. as a Director of Coaching of a 501(c3) youth club in New York in 2018 and joined U.S. Soccer as a Grassroots Coach Educator teaching coaches on 4v4, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11 Grassroots and National D Licence courses.


In 2020, Gérard was recruited by Osian Roberts, the former National Technical Director and Assistant Manager of the Wales National Team, to become an Elite Coach Educator for the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (Royal Moroccan Football Federation). As an Elite Coach Educator, he was responsible for all coach education, designing the national coaching courses, Game Model and Methodology where he taught and mentored all Moroccan Youth National coaches across the DTN from U15-U23s in the National Philosophy, Game Model, Principles and Methodology. He also assisted on the CAF Pro Licence, taught on the CAF A Licence, Instructors Licence, was the Course Director of the FRMF A Youth Licence, Botola Pro Technical Directors and Leaders courses and other training. He also assisted coaching U15-U20 Youth National teams and supported programs to grow the game nationally across the country, including supporting Women in Football education with the US Embassy in Rabat.


As a leader in coaching and coach education, Gérard has mentored coaches across all levels on behalf of four out of the six continental bodies of football governance (eg. CAF, CONCACAF, AFC and UEFA). This includes being a guest-speaker at various prestigious conferences globally, teaching High Performance Leadership on the AFC Pro Licence (Bangladesh Federation), CAF Pro Licence (working with likes of Aliou Cissé, Regrarui, Pitso et al.), CAF A Licence, UEFA B Licence (SFA, Malta FA, FA), UEFA C Licence (FA and FAW) and US Soccer courses (B Licence, C Licence, D Licence and grassroots). Additionally, he has delivered various CPD and Webinars for The Football Association, U.S. Soccer and in various English Premier League and Football League Academies on Practice Design and the use of augmented information to guide athlete search.


He is also the Founder and Director of online coaching education platform The CoachesClubhouse

Gérard is currently studying a PhD in Skill Adaptation, investigating how coaches can use feedback to guide the attentional search of athletes, to help players become better at searching for information from the environment in order to solve problems.


Gérard has previously graduated with a Master's degree in Performance Coaching from the University of Stirling in 2014, and holds a Teaching degree (PGCE) from the University of Huddersfield in 2015 where in the same year, he became a Published Author in Communication Psychology with his book titled "Let's Talk Soccer". He has also been published in several best-selling football coaching and business books, including research articles on coaching.


Since 2022, Gérard has served as a Director of Coaching, Sporting City - North Region at MLS Sporting Kansas City where he helped create and establish a brand new Youth Academy Affiliate club, recruit coaches & players and implement a club-wide curriculum, coach education, player development philosophy and business strategy that impacts 700 U8-U19 boys & girls and 1500 recreational players. With his role, he has mentored coaches that manage teams in national MLS Next and Girls Academy platforms, as well as regional and local competitions across the U.S. Soccer B Licence, C Licence, D Licence and grassroots courses.

Coaching & Academic Qualifications

    About Gérard Jones

    Background

    Gérard Jones is a highly qualified and accomplished soccer coach, educator, and researcher with an impressive academic and professional background. His expertise spans coaching, education, and performance, supported by his extensive qualifications and ongoing PhD research in Skill Acquisition at Sheffield Hallam University. 

    Professional Background

    • Director of Coaching, Sporting City - North Region at MLS Sporting Kansas City
    • Former Elite Coach Educator with the Royal Morrocan Football Federation, where also assisted coaching internationally with U15-U20 Moroccan Youth National Teams
    • Nearly two decades of experience in coaching, including developing game models and practice designs tailored for high-performance environments.
    • Former EPPP Academy Head of Coaching, U21 Assistant and Head Academy Coach
    • Former Premier League Arsenal FC Soccer Schools Director of Coaching


    Education and Training

    • Holds a English FA UEFA A Licence and the FA Advanced Youth Award.
    • Certified U.S. Soccer Educator and UEFA Coach Educator.
    • Qualified Teacher with a PGCE in Lifelong Learning from Huddersfield University (#1 University of teacher education)
    • Certified Academy Director Licence & Director of Coaching Diploma
    • Academic qualifications include an MSc in Performance Coaching from Stirling University (Scotland's University of Sporting Excellence), a graduate from Cambridge University (world's leading business university) Impulse Programme for tech innovation & entrepreneurship including studies in a Masters in Sports Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University (World Top 50 Business School)
    • Currently pursuing a PhD in Skill Acquisition at Sheffield Hallam University (#1 Motor Learning University), focusing on verbal augmented feedback and attentional focus in coaching - coaching interactions & practice design to develop decision makers
    • Invited onto a specialist invitation-only Sporting Directorship in Football course by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) together with the University of Antwerp's Football College and the Belgian Pro League. 

    What People Say

    Inspires Others

    Enhances Club Growth

    Enhances Club Growth

    “Gérard is a very professional and hard-working individual. He has a passion for learning and can inspire others with his work.” - Osian Roberts: Head of Development, Como 1907, Former Assistant Manager, Crystal Palace FC, former Wales National Team &Technical Director FAW and FRMF

    Enhances Club Growth

    Enhances Club Growth

    Enhances Club Growth

    “Gérard can support the delivery of an integrated club coaching strategy and deliver on key coach, player and

    parent development to enhance the growth of a club.” - Michael Beale: Assistant Manager to Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, Former Manager Sunderland

    AFC, Rangers FC, former Assistant

    Manager Sao Paolo, Aston Villa FC, Rangers FC & Academy Coach at Liverpool FC & Chelsea

    Highly Competent

    Enhances Club Growth

    Outstanding Knowledge

    “Gérard has a unique set of skills as he is highly competent in coaching, coaching education and leadership. He has rich experiences across different

    levels of the game” - Didier Chambaron: Director of Coaching Education, U.S. Soccer Federation

    Outstanding Knowledge

    Outstanding Knowledge

    “Gérard is incredibly enthusiastic, very experienced coach and coach developer with outstanding knowledge.” – Nathan Hunt: Technical Lead – B

    Licence, U.S. Soccer Federation, former Director of Coaching of Academy Affiliates Sporting KC

    Dynamic Coach

    “Gérard is a dynamic coach who can quickly engage people and establish growth within an organisation”
    Jess Ibrom: National Team Men's Head Coach Football Federation Samoa, Former Technical Director Cook Islands FA 

    Excellent Communication

    "Gérard communicates his thoughts extremely well and continues to show this skill set for supporting coaches and players" Mark Roberts: Learning & Development Coordinator FIFA, Former Grassroots Coach Education Manager FAW and Academy Coach Liverpool

    Excellent Young Coach

    Excellent Young Coach

    Excellent Young Coach

    “Gérard is an excellent young soccer coach who has great empathy with players and fellow coaches alike” 

    Roger Wilkinson: Former New Zealand Director of Coaching & U17, U20 National Coach, inc West Brom U21s & FIFA Instructor

    Nationalities and Languages Spoken

    Coaching Journey

    Academic Journey

    Professional Memberships

    Media recognition

    Gérard featured in a list conducted by the Institute of Public Policy Research North (IPPR North) of the Top 50 brightest and most talented people in the North of England 2011

    SkySports

    SkySports Exclusive Interview following Gérard Jones joining Bristol Rovers FC

    BBC Look North

    BBC Look North feature interview with Gérard Jones in 2010, following the growth of GSF

    The Guardian

    Gérard was listed among the Top 7 Young Entrepreneurs to watch in 2011 following an interview

    Real Business

    Gérard featured in Real Business list of 5 inspiring young entrepreneurs in the UK 2014

    Gérard featured in Condé Nast Magazine 'Journal' featured among Top 7 Young Entrepreneurs from Yorkshire

     

    Also Featured in

    Significant Experiences

    Rochdale AFC

     Whilst with EFL EPPP Category 3 Academy Rochdale AFC, Gérard coached across all ages from U8-U16, was a Lead U11, U12 and lastly U14 Academy Coach and was also responsible for the 12-16 Day-Release program. During his time with Rochdale, the Academy became recognized as the #1 Academy for Productivity in England across all EPPP Category 3 Academy Clubs (2nd year succession), #3 across all 92 professional soccer clubs and the 2nd highest in the English Football League by the Premier League. During this time, the Academy produced more home grown players to play 1st team football than any other club at Category 3 level in England. 


    Royal Moroccan Football Federation

      As an Elite Coach Educator with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Gérard worked under then Technical Director Osian Roberts. Gérard assisted on the CAF Pro Licence, designed all coaching education content, taught on the CAF/FRMF A Licence, B Instructors, Technical Directors Licence and was the Course Director for both the FRMF A Youth Licence and the Botola Pro Seminars. He mentored an trained Sporting Directors, Head Coaches and Academy Coaches in the Botola Pro and also mentored all Moroccan Youth National team coaches across the DTN from U15-U23s Men/Women in the Moroccan Game Model, Principles and Coaching Methodology.


    Gérard designed the Game Model and Principles and launched individualised methods whilst also assisting coaching across youth national teams, which had an impact in success across the country at the continental and world stage in various CAF Champions League, Confederations Cup and AFCON, CHAN and FIFA World Cup competitions. Gérard mentored Walid Regrarui on the CAF Pro Licence, who is now the Senior Men’s Head Coach of the Moroccan National team that recently finished 4th in the last FIFA Men’s World Cup, as well as Aliou Cissé who won the AFCON with Senegal and several other elite coaches.

    Sporting Kansas City

    As a Director of Coaching, Sporting City - North Region at American MLS professional soccer club Sporting Kansas City (SKC), Gérard has created and grown a Academy Affiliate Youth club from scratch to becoming the largest and most successful club within the City Group.

    SKC is among the Top 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world, with a market valuation of around $630m. Since joining SKC in 2022, he has launched the creation of Sporting City North, a club owned SKC Youth Academy Affiliate, operating out of the world class Central Bank Sporting Complex, a brand-new $35m facility opened in 2022, providing specialist coaching to boys & girls aged from 3-19 years old in northland Missouri. Sporting City North is the largest club within the City Group, of which there are three clubs, consisting of North, West and East, with City North responsible for coaching around 700 competitive and around 1600 recreational players in Kansas City. City North has teams competing in local, regional and national level youth competitions, with Sporting City Soccer Club collectively consists of over 1,500 competitive players & over 3,500 recreation players. As a full-time associate within the youth department as SKC, he is a part of a wider impact of which SKC Youth Soccer provides training to over 3,000 foundation level players and collectively, over 6,500 recreational players which is among the largest impact in KC.


    His curriculum, methodology and coaching education has seen Sporting City club not only grow year on year, but also see players sign for the MLS Boys SKC Youth Academy, players competing in the Sporting City Girls Academy, and around 20 players committing to play college soccer at NCAA D2 etc levels. He has also coached one player who has represented U.S. Women's U15 Youth National Futsal team. 


    His business impact has seen an increase in revenues and various innovative programs for individualized coaching.


    He has also trained over 180 MLS Next SKC Youth Academy and SKC Academy Affiliate coaches across various B Licence, C Licence, D Licence and Grassroots coaching courses. 

    US Soccer Coaching Education

    Gérard is a leading coach educator, having mentored coaches across all levels (eg. AFC Pro Licence - Bangladesh Football Federation; CAF Pro Licence - FRMF; CAF A Licence - FRMF, UEFA B Licence - FA & SFA via Malta, UEFA C Licence - The FA, US Soccer B, C and D Licence - USSF etc).


    He has served as an Educator with US Soccer since 2018, 

    mentoring over 3000 coaches across all licence pathways, including supporting various state associations such as: Kansas State Youth Soccer Association, Missouri Youth Soccer Association, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association, Western Virginia Youth Soccer Association, North Texas Soccer Association and Kentucky Youth Soccer Association, as well as being a national educator with U.S. Club Soccer, one of the largest youth sports governing bodies in America.


    As a leading coach educator in the U.S., Gérard is one of around 500 Licensed Grassroots Coach Educators & one of around 60 B Licence Educators. 


    With the CoachesClubhouse, an ed-tech startup, he has supported and trained over 20,000 coaches globally

    GSF and Arsenal Soccer Schools

    Gérard founded his own soccer coaching business as a 19-year old back in 2009, operating out of the University of Hull. He quickly grew the business to coaching 1500-2000 kids per week, becoming recognised as a Top 100 Best Business Startup in the UK by Startup100 Awards in 2010, winning a host of Entrepreneur Awards and securing sponsorship and grant funding from multi-billion pound organisation British Land PLC through St Stephen's Shopping Center.


    He secured a partnership agreement Asda, one of the largest supermarkets in the UK to deliver FREE After-school clubs throughout Hull & East Yorkshire. 


    In 2010, he secured a franchise partnership agreement with Premier League Arsenal FC to run Arsenal Soccer Schools, one of the largest soccer school programs in the world at the time in Hull & East Yorkshire.  Arsenal FC is one of the Top 10 most valuable clubs in the world, valued at $2.6 billion.


    He established Advanced Skills Development Centers for U8-U12s that saw several players go on to sign for various academies.

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