TEENAGER Sean Hill has set his sights high after becoming the youngest FA level two football coach in the country.

The 16-year-old, who manages and coaches Merley Cobham Sports under-nines and plays for the club’s under-18s, passed with flying colours.

A sixth-former at Corfe Hills School, where he is studying biology, psychology, PE and Spanish, Sean is targeting a top job in coaching.

He told the Daily Echo: “I want to coach professionally and my dream is to coach Barcelona. My motto is aim high, win big!”

Sean got the bug when he was 12 after ex-Cherries youth coach Jason Blake, who now heads the Academy at Premier League Burnley, took some sessions at Merley Cobham.

“That was my first taste of watching a professional coach and it stayed with me,” said Sean, who has been invited by Blake to spend a few days helping out with coaching at Burnley.

“I enjoy seeing improvements in the players and the team and working with other coaches and mucking in on a Saturday morning.

“I play football for fun but want to make a career out of coaching. I know most professional coaches have been players but there are some notable exceptions.

“Jason is one of my role models and Jose Mourinho is another. I have always looked up to him and he didn’t play at the highest level. He studied the game, took all the qualifications and came through that way. He proved it can be done.”

Sean, who is also a fully-qualified referee, spent five months working towards his FA level two coaching certificate and added it to his level one and a youth module one qualifications.

He will spend the next four years working towards his UEFA B licence, which can only be taken once a coach has turned 21, before hoping to break through into the professional ranks.

  • Dorset County FA football development officer Andrew Battison has commended Sean Hill on becoming one of the country’s youngest FA level two football coaches. 

He said: “It is fair to say that Sean is certainly one of the youngest people that we have had 
successfully undertake the FA/1st4sport Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football.

“It is great that he is taking good steps into coaching, which should aid him in his future career.

"Coaching is certainly becoming more of a profession with the introduction of the FA Licensed 
Coaches Club and FA Future Game documents which are all trying to create a culture around developing the next generation of coaches, as well as players.”

Dorset County FA offers a number of certificated courses and coaches events which are available to people who are interested in taking their first steps or are an experienced coach who wishes to develop further.

More details can be viewed via their website www.dorsetfa.com/coaches or by contacting andrew.battison@dorsetfa.com