Where I started

My name is Erin Jarvis-Baker, I am currently chair of the Kent Football Association (FA) Youth Council and this has been my 4th season. When I first started volunteering in football, it was with Maidstone Raiders, a pan-disability football club. I was just 12, but 6 years later I’m still here and I love it. Through coaching I have found a voice, a passion and built lifelong connections. 

At the end of the last season I was named Grassroots Young Volunteer of the year in Kent. I was so proud for my players and the people I have met in my football journey, it is because of them that I volunteer and love the game. 

With coaching pan-disability teams every session is different, you learn quickly how to adapt, different forms of communication and ways to support players best. However, you also realise just how important football is, as well as the community it creates, and the pride it can give players. 

Joining the Kent FA Youth Council 

My experiences at Maidstone Raiders inspired me to get involved beyond the pitch. This gave me a chance to work with an amazing group of young people, our Youth Council, though one of the youngest this has never held us back, but instead became our strength. We all sit on different pathways and our voices are respected and wanted by all in the Kent FA. Having experienced being a member, communications lead, and now, for the last season, as chair, I have truly loved and learnt in every moment. 

For the past few years, I've been very grateful to be part of the team that have restructured some of the Kent FA as well as representing our Youth Council in national meetings such as the Southeast regional meeting. Additionally, I attend  our main council meetings as well as sit on the disability player pathway working group.

This season 

This season, our group project as a Youth Council has focused on something that all our members thought was critical to the game - tackling sideline behaviour. We shared personal stories, looked into how negative behaviours affect players and thus created two videos:

- One focused on  comparing a positive and negative coach and its impact on and off the pitch.

- The second shows the difference between a supportive parent and a demoralising one. 

Both show the importance of understanding how negative behaviours, the significance  and influence it has on the players. We hope it evokes discussions around who you want to be as a spectator or coach, the effect negative behaviour has on young people’s mental health and the importance of keeping players in the game and to make it a game everyone can play and enjoy. 

Why do I volunteer? 

The reason I do all of this, the coaching, the leadership, the hours of volunteering is simple…the players!

Seeing the passion, the building of confidence, watching them feel proud of who they are and the communities that are created. Building connections and believing in each other and yourselves is so important and something that everyone should be passionate about.

I'm truly thankful for everyone that's helped me. I hope for many more years of inspiring generations as well as Football continuing to be a place for everyone to feel proud and to have fun playing the game.