WAGS hires Glen Buckley for member consultation project
The Washington Area Girls Soccer League has hired youth development consultant Glen Buckley to conduct a league-wide membership survey this fall, in order to identify areas in which the league can better meet the needs of its constituents.
A leading figure in the field of technical training and youth curriculum development, Buckley has developed a strong track record over two decades of coaching and coaching education in the United States. English by birth, he had previously worked his way up his home country’s coaching and training ladder and currently runs his own consulting firm.
He holds “A” licenses from the U.S. Soccer Federation and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), along with a “Tutor Assessor” license from the English Football Association and multiple other diplomas and certifications from the likes of the NSCAA and U.S. Youth Soccer.
“This is a member study about the current product that WAGS are offering, and I’ll be taking that honest feedback and giving it to the board of directors to let them know what the thoughts of the members are,” said Buckley.
“I have a blank slate. I’m going in with an open mind and hopefully people will see it as that,” he added. “It’s somebody to talk to from a technical background. So I’m hoping to get contact from the coaches, directors of coaching, executive directors – the people at the pointed end, if you like – the ones who are on the field, building clubs, improving players and growing the game.”
Last year Buckley played a central role in the formation of WAGS’ Technical Performance Academy, a groundbreaking program designed to improve the technical development of young players by emphasizing quality training sessions, ball control and small-sided play. He came away impressed with the league’s proud history and commitment to improving girls’ soccer.
“I saw the dedication of those who are involved in organizing it. There’s a definite passion for the WAGS mission, that’s very evident,” he said of his previous work with the league. “Credit to the WAGS management – they recognize the evolution of the area’s youth soccer landscape. They want to know what kinds of programs the members want and that’s where I come in.”
This fall Buckley aims to gather and analyze the perspectives, observations and critiques of those in and around WAGS, and will treat all comments and discussions confidentially in order to ensure forthright sharing of ideas. He plans to have completed this process by late October and emphasizes his desire for honest input from all perspectives.
“Even if they don’t meet me, I’d like them to call me or email me with their thoughts,” he said, in reference to WAGS stakeholders. “My task is to gather as much information as I can from the membership and hear from those who can offer some good, constructive ideas – or criticism, for that matter.”
Buckley can be reached via email: [email protected] or phone: (585) 831-7465. All comments and conversations will be handled confidentially. Learn more about his background and approach to the game at his website www.glenbuckleysoccer.com.
A resident of Honeoye Falls, N.Y., Buckley will be in the Washington region September 17-19 to conduct meetings and gather firsthand WAGS member feedback. He will be based at the Sheraton Washington North Hotel (4095 Powder Mill Rd, Beltsville, Md.) Meetings can be scheduled there, or arranged for other area locations more convenient to members.
