Jamie Hawthorne
Academy Coach at Southampton FC
Currently out on placement as an Academy Coach with Southampton Football Club, Jamie has racked up 1751 hours on the portal in roles for the Men’s 1s including a role as the Men's Football 1s coach.
How did you first get involved with the CVA?
I started coaching with the mens 1st team at the start of my first year so started logging my hours and being involved with the CVA from there.
How has being involved in the CVA helped you develop?
Being Involved with the CVA has allowed me opportunities to attend coaching master classes and CPD from some of the leading coaches within development football, peruse higher coaching qualifications and work within the leading higher education football program alongside top quality staff members, volunteer staff and student athletes.
What do you do within your placement role?
Within my placement I work within the academy coaching team at Southampton Football Club, working with players aged 9 through to 18 in the holistic development of all aspects of the players on and off pitch performance.
Have the skills you’ve learned through your CVA role helped you in your placement and if so, how?
Working within the football program allowed me to develop not only coaching skills to a higher level which have helped me in the coaching aspect of my placement. It also allowed me the chance to work within a multi-disciplinary team learning how to effectively communicate and collaborate with other departments to maximise the performance of the players and team. This experience has been invaluable for my placement as I am working with many members of staff from many different departments on a daily basis.
Do you have any top tips for Loughborough undergraduates currently looking for a placement?
Don’t be afraid to contact as many people as possible. Be patient and wait for the right opportunity for you. I didn’t get my placement until August so just keep looking until you find the right fit.
What are your plans following your placement and any plans following graduation? How do you think your role in the CVA may help with reaching these goals?
Following placement and graduation I am hoping to gain a full time role coaching in professional football which I hope my experience both at Loughborough and on placement will help me to achieve. I hope the CVA will continue to help my development when I come back for my final year allowing me to continue coaching and also provide me with more development opportunities like the ones I’ve mentioned above.
Finally, what’s the best advice you could give to a Loughborough student looking to get involved in volunteering & gain the most out of their university experiences?
Throw yourself at it. If you want to volunteer go and ask to get involved. If you put the hard work in you’ll defiantly reap the rewards.
Feeling inspired?
Feeling inspired by Jamie'sexperience? Check out the CVA Portal regularly for Coaching opportunities like this one.