“It’s been a bit of a mad period,” says Charlton's Head of Coaching Rhys Williams after spending the last three years completing the Premier League's Elite Heads of Coaching (EHOC) Diploma.
“The Premier League runs a course to upskill Heads of Coaching to be effective in our roles and give us support in all aspects of the job," explained Williams, who also graduated from the Premier League’s Elite Coaching Apprenticeship Scheme in 2020. "It's a post-graduate diploma - two-thirds of a master's basically.
"It's a really, really, really good programme to support and develop the tools to be better coaches. The better I can support the development of our coaches, the better they can deliver to the young players in our care: progress spurring progress.”
As someone in a position of responsibility in influencing others, being the most accomplished Head of Coaching he can be really matters.
The course brought together like-minded elite coaches hungry for a return to education and fittingly began with a ‘PGL-esque’ induction where coaches could connect with their peers in the Lake District.
"We did some abseiling and climbed up a waterfall, things like that which were made to take us out of our comfort zone, but also bond as a group, so that was great fun and quite challenging,” he said.
“A lot of it was then about looking at good practice at other clubs - we’ve been to events at Arsenal, Fulham and Everton to hear how they work, what they do and some of the initiatives they have.
“Having people that can give you advice and speak to was one of the most powerful things. Then giving you context to things and helping you think through the challenges at work and the challenges elsewhere.”
Former Olympic hockey coach Jason Lee has been one of Williams’ key mentors. “I got to know Jason really well during the ECAS [Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme] that I completed in 2019. The fact that he knows me so well has really enabled him to offer fantastic guidance to me over the last three years or so. Similarly, Andy Cole, a psychologist, has been superb in supporting my personal development.
“Having the ability to discuss your challenges and difficulties, whatever they may be, and work through them with the support and wisdom of my mentors has been incredible. It has been a very challenging period and I am grateful for the support of Steve [Avory], my colleagues and my mentors in having my back
As well as the EHOC course, it has been a hectic globetrotting year for Williams with various academy age groups.
“I went on the Jamaica trip with the U21s and Lilleshall with the U16s to coach in their pre-season camp, and then to Estonia to coach some young players in Tallinn.
"We were invited to conduct a camp following some discussion around presenting at a conference that sadly didn’t go ahead earlier in the year. The Estonians were really interested in the work that we do at Charlton in our academy, and obviously the legacy of the players we’ve produced and the way that we try and do things.
“We were really well looked after and the idea was that we would pick out the boys that did well on the camp and they would be invited to come and train for a week at the academy and have an opportunity to see how we actually work in-house. We are looking forward to welcoming them in February next year.”
Reflecting back on the three-year course, Williams’ biggest takeaway is how reflection is integral to feeding progression: “The course was very personal to everyone’s individual needs and how different clubs have their own ways of working. The course focused on what you were trying to achieve in the role and how you were evolving on that journey.
“I think it has been really helpful in supporting me to reflect better and to navigate the difficulties and challenges, but also the successes. You can’t achieve everything, but overall you hopefully are making a positive impact and consistently working towards the betterment of the programme and learning things that can better equip you to make a difference going forward. I certainly feel much more confident and assured in the role as a result of the experiences I have had through EHOC."
