UD Coaches Profile : Meet Daryl

Before UD, I was a promising youth player - having the great opportunity to play in Academies such as Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers. I did well, but the level was extremely competitive - I loved the game, but wanted to keep my opportunities open, in case I didn’t make it to the first teams.
I was granted my FA Level 1 badge 2 years before the age band of applying, so I was quite chuffed to say I was the youngest in England to hold their FA Level 1 badge - I got the buzz and continued furthering my badges and expertise in coaching - it was then when my journey with The Dragons all started and writing this now, makes me feel extremely proud!

It all started in 2008, where alongside my brother Ryan - we coached a group of 10-12 children from Trevor Roberts School in Belsize Park. We would take the children down to Primrose Hill, 10 balls, 2 goals, cones and the Dragons was born.

Through supporting the community in the local area, we have nurtured the community we have today. Locals such as the Lemonia Greek restaurant sponsored us (there was no free pitta!) - but it was our parents, families, players who were our real ambassadors and helped shape the club we have today.

In the years to follow I worked as a TV Producer/Director for ITV - I made a tough decision, but the best decision 4 years ago to leave my role and to follow my passion and do what I truly love and that is to coach and run United Dragons - for those who know me, I am the first to knee-slide on a rainy November’s Saturday at 9am when we score a goal in a league match to putting two cones together to make a horse trot to help our Little Dragons learn how to dribble a ball.

I wanted to break down barriers of Girls football - working tirelessly with The London FA, The Royal Parks and local competitive league to ensure all girls, of all abilities can play - I can’t tell you how proud I am to now see 120 girls take to the UD pitches weekly, but also the impact and growth it had to spur others to do so to! Did I mention “It’s come home”.

I look around each week at our UD Family - I love the camaraderie between our coaches, parents, the social element of children making friends that they’ve never met before, it’s amazing what a ball and a game can do - but we all know it’s much more than that.

To think to what we have achieved as a club, a community, a real family is astonishing - we are shaping confidence, creating an environment for individual and team development, making fond memories.

As an end note - this all couldn’t be made possible without our support team, our amazing coaches who do us proud every weekend instilling our club values on the ground and YOU parents, for making UD a real community!

Thanks UD!
Daryl