Joe is achieving his goals in football coaching!

Joe Kirkland, a sports student at Burton and South Derbyshire College has been using his skills across the globe with coaching opportunities in Spain, Ghana and America.

Joe who began on a Level 2 Sports course and progressed to a degree level course at Burton and South Derbyshire College’s University Centre, also works as a Football Coach for Burton Albion FC and Woodville Rangers, as well as running his own football coaching company.

In between studying for a Level 3 Sports course and a Foundation Degree, Joe took a year out to teach, undertaking a coaching placement in Spain. Through partnerships at Burton Albion, Joe then had the opportunity to coach in Ghana and is now undertaking a two-month coaching placement in America.

Speaking about his international experiences, Joe said: “I’ve had a lot of opportunities to coach abroad, which I’ll always be grateful for. Coaching in Ghana was one of a kind and one of the most enjoyable experiences. What stood out to me most was the extreme gratefulness of the Ghanaian people and how buzzing they were with every interaction.”

“I’ve always been obsessed with football and I’ve been influenced by other coaches who I have met along the way who have inspired me to pursue my dreams. In coaching, it’s important to develop people first rather than players. I enjoy being involved in football; as a coach, you have an important role to play in other people’s lives. I enjoy inspiring players to improve; seeing people develop is really rewarding!”

Joe will continue to coach the Burton Albion women’s and the Woodville Rangers teams as he embarks on his next challenge: a teaching qualification at Burton and South Derbyshire College. Talking about his career goals, Joe said: “In the future, I’d like to think that I can continue to go down the women's coaching pathway, and to eventually lead a women's senior team in one of the top divisions in England, or to be involved within a team that achieves some kind of success however that may look like. I have a lot of ambition and I’m looking forward to taking every opportunity that comes my way. I’m also starting my higher education teaching qualification in September, which is something I’m looking forward to as well!”