Tobi Hutchinson

1st Touch Football Academy was set up in November 2010 by Director of Coaching Tobi Hutchinson.

In this time, our reputation has spread across Sussex as a place where children of all ages can enjoy top quality football coaching from experienced and well qualified coaches, in a safe, well structured environment.

Our aim is to bridge the gap between grassroots football and professional football club academy's by improving the individual and putting together a toolbox of skills that they can use to improve their game.

For some this will mean opportunities at a higher level of football, for others it will simply mean playing football to a higher level.

Some players have gone on to be registered with professional football clubs and many others have experienced going on trial at these clubs helping them develop as players and offering a wonderful experience.

However, we also have many players that simply love the game and have a desire to improve, these players are every bit as important to us.

Lead Coach for Brighton and Hove Albion Category 1 Academy.

The club gained its Category 1 status and was in the process of moving into its new training centre in Lancing.

Following a practical interview in front of the clubs Academy Manager and Head of Coaching, I was offered the role of Lead Coach to the U7s and U8s.

This role saw us set up several centres across Sussex which would feed into the Advanced Centre for the very best players who would in turn form the new intake of Academy U9s at the end of each season.

I was lead coach for this alongside the full time Lead Foundation stage coach James Baxter.

Specific roles were :-

• Recruitment and Talent ID of players within the catchment area who we felt had the potential to become Academy Footballers.
• Liase with senior academy staff in respect of annual retain and release of players.
• Formulate the ILP (individual learning plan) for players in order to tailor coaching sessions to improve the individual technically and tactically
• Provide personalized player feedback in the form of written reports and player meetings.
• Enhance player skills through focused age specific coaching and tailored drills aimed at improving the individual in the four corner module (Technical / Tactical, Physical, Social and Psychological), in accordance with the academy syllabus.

I held my first role coaching adults in senior football in 2002 aged 32.

Below are brief details of positions held :-

• 2002/03 – Shinewater AFC 1st Team Player Coach / Manager (Sussex County League Div 2 (Step 6)

This role was ultimately cut short following the merger between Shinewater Association and Eastbourne United. However in this time the club did reach the highest league position in its senior history.

• 2003/04 – Hailsham Town FC youth team Coach / Manager (Sussex County Youth Section)

The team featuring predominantly 1st year U18s were Sussex County League Youth Team Champions. I left this role to take up the position at Eastbourne Borough.

• 2004/05 – Eastbourne Borough FC youth team Coach / Manager (Sussex County Youth Section)

The team were crowned Sussex County Youth Team Champions. We also reached the last qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup. Several players made 1st Team debuts for Eastbourne Borough who were playing in the National League South.

• 2008/09 – Eastbourne United Association FC Player Coach – Sussex County League Div 1 (Step 5)

As player Coach Eastbourne United were crowned Sussex County League Champions and Sussex RUR Cup Winners.

• 2009 / 10 - Lewes U18 Youth team head Coach (Ryman Youth League)

As lead coach of Lewes U18s we were crowned Isthmian League South Youth Winners.

Grant Hall was offered a professional contract by Brighton and Hove Albion.

Several players made their debuts in the National League South.

• 2010 - Hastings United 1st Team Coach Isthmian League Premier Division (Step 3)

A short term role to assist their new manager in fighting relegation from the Isthmian Premier Division. I left the role once this was confirmed.

• 2010/11 - Lewes FC Youth Team Manager

I was only in this role a short time due to poor relationship with the 1st Team Management. However in this time we saw Solly March sign professional forms with Brighton and Hove Albion and Bayarn Fenwick signed professional forms with Crystal Palace.

• 2014 / 15 - Eastbourne United Association FC 1st Team Manager

• 2015/16 - Eastbourne United Association FC U18 Manager

From 2014 to 2017 I combined running the U15s which id run from U6s, overseeing their transition into becoming the clubs U18s (a year early following 3 successive seasons (from U13-U15) of being Sussex County Champions and Sussex Division 1 winners), with being 1st Team Manager. This was a difficult time for the club with budget restraints meaning we were among the lowest budget and youngest 1st Teams in the division.

Utilizing the clubs young players the 1st Team managed a respectable 6th place finish while the U23s and the U18s (featuring mainly U16s) both finished as runners up in their respective divisions.

In this time Jake Hutchinson progressed from the U18s into Brighton and Hove Albion Academy and subsequently signed professional forms with Colchester United.

I am currently coaching with the Eastbourne Borough U15s assisting Danny Simmonds.

I also on a "as required" basis work with Seaford FC taking training for the 1st Team at Step 6.