Working closely with schools across the district is one of the main jobs of the council's football development scheme.

Youngsters from around 25 schools a year benefit from the support given to their schools by Gary Piggott and the rest of his team.

The aim is to work alongside and support any initiative the schools may already have running and not to replace them.

One of the scheme's coaches attends a school for five weeks, spending one hour each week helping the youngsters develop all aspects of their game, including dribbling, passing, control, shooting and a host of other skills.

At present the football development scheme is working alongside Greensted School, Basildon; Quilters School, Billericay; Millhouse School, Basildon and Northlands School, Pitsea.

They also visit Buttsbury School, Billericay, who due to the success of previous schemes have the football development team attending all through the year.

The scheme receives many letters of thanks for its work.

A letter from Buttsbury School's deputy head, Doug Bray, says: "All the coaching sessions held at our school have been of a very high standard and have enabled the children to develop new skills to gain further enthusiasm and knowledge of our game.

"The children have enjoyed and benefited from them and I am sure will do so for as long as the sessions continue."

Any school wanting more information on the scheme should call 01268 533166.

Coaches in the spotlight

Behind every great sports team or individual athlete is a coach striving to help them maximise their potential and enhance their talents.

While the athlete or team take the spotlight, the work of the person behind them can sometimes go unrecognised.

However, if you are sportsman or woman who feels your coach is not getting the recognition they deserve then now is your chance to change it.

Basildon District Council is giving people across the district the chance to put their sporting coach forward for a prestigious countywide award - The Essex Sports Coach of the Year Awards 1999/2000.

The awards are being organised by Essex County Council, but entry forms are available from Basildon Council's Leisure Services department.

There six categories are:

Male or female coach coaching individual performers.

Male and female coach coaching teams.

Male or female coaching disabled sports people (not necessarily to high levels).

Male or female coaching junior competitors (individuals or teams).

Male or female teacher coaching at schools.

Coach of the millennium.

The last category is looking for the male or female coach who has previously made an outstanding contribution countywide to coaching in his or her sport over a minimum ten-year period.

The chairman of Basildon District Council's community and leisure services committee, councillor Nigel Smith, said: "The district is a hotbed of sporting talent with some excellent coaches helping people develop and improved in their chosen sporting field.

"Awards like this enable the person or people behind the individual or team to be recognised for their efforts."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.