Following an 18-month design process with the FA, England Futsal has been built to ensure access and opportunity for every person and community to enjoy, benefit from & realise their full potential with futsal from participation to performance.
We want to meet the aspirations of thousands of boys & girls who dream of representing England Futsal and offer an attractive & alternative game of choice to football for people all ages and backgrounds.
We will do this by:
Operating a safe, inclusive Talent Pathway
Providing high quality learning opportunities for Coaches, Match Officials & Leaders
Operating an insight led England Fustal player pathway for all
Working with stakeholders to develop a robust package of support
Having clear operations for business, commercial & governance
EXECUTIVE TEAM
BETH JENKINSON-GARNER
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Beth is a multi-award-winning sports development professional who uses her two core values of integrity and curiosity to ensure the best possible experience: Seeking to immerse herself in a landscape to understand, and then deliver, bespoke, high-quality service. Beth a specialist in creating and delivering people development, operational planning and developing impactful relationships with key stakeholders at a national level. A qualified futsal coach and ex-player she is excited to apply her professional superpowers to support the sport through the next phase of its journey.
As our Head of Operations, she will lead on the day-to-day running of England Futsal, servicing the community, reporting into our board and managing our projects & partners. Complex and “wicked” problems are the highlights of her working week (all we have to do is fuel her with Yorkshire tea and the occasional flattering comment).
Always a keen rather than elite athlete, outside of work you’ll find Beth being the only smiler in the bunker, racking up her loyalty stamps in the local book shop, overfeeding her wonderful wife with her latest culinary exploits and tag teaming the Sunday crossword with her family.
BOARD & GOVERNANCE
STEPHEN MITCHELL
BOARD CHAIR
Stephen “Mitch” Mitchell currently oversees a portfolio of businesses operating across sport and physical activity, including his own consultancy business, Sporting People. He also co-founded Sport for Confidence CIC, a unique, pioneering, and multi-award-winning organisation which supports people who face barriers to participation as they get involved in a variety of sporting activities in mainstream settings. Mitch is closely involved with frontline delivery of sport and physical activity programmes, and a recognized thought leader around workforce solutions across the Sector – trusted by national organisations such as Sport England and CIMSPA. Mitch chairs the boards of an Ofqual regulated Awarding Organisation (Transcend Awards) which he led through regulatory approval; an Ofsted regulated independent training Provider (Creative Sport and Leisure); and a DfE approved independent school for SEMH children (the Omnia Foundation).
He has led Boards or been a Director/Trustee of Boards who have achieved the highest standards of governance in line with the Sports Governance Code. He has recently stepped down (after 8 years) from being the Independent Chairperson of Parkour UK (overseeing its recognition as a sport and as an NGB) and has also recently stepped down from the Board of Active Essex (where he led the RACE Equality Review and long-term commitment to the Race Equality Code. He is Trustee of the Coach Core Foundation (Coaching Apprenticeships for LSEG audiences) and Switch the Play Foundation (athlete wellbeing and mental health). Mitch is an alumnus of Loughborough University where he studied Sports Science. A retired rugby player, he is a firm believer in the positive power of sport and the role it can play in changing lives, particularly for future generations.
BEN TADMOR
BOARD MEMBER
Ben has spent almost 20 years driving change and improving standards in Sports Development. He has diverse experience within the industry ranging from front line delivery, to development & planning to delivering strategic change. He strives to engage young children through sport, igniting a passion to participate and enjoy activity as a lifelong habit.
The Futsal community may know Ben as a former Assistant Coach to the Men’s Senior Futsal Team, as the U19 Men’s pathway lead or as an FA Futsal Coach Educator. Having been introduced to Futsal in 2004, Ben evolved with the development of the game in England and has experienced National League, FA Futsal Cup & UEFA Futsal Champions League campaigns with domestic teams.
Away from Futsal, Ben has also led a number of successful corporate promotions including the planning & delivery of a Talent ID program on behalf of an iconic global brand as part of their FIFA World Cup marketing campaign.
Ben is married to Alice and they have 3 children: Herbie 11, Eadie 10 & Ottie 7. All 3 children enjoy playing sport so on the very rare occasions that the family are not on the side lines of a pitch, together they enjoy participating in water sports, playing on the beach & taking the dog for a muddy walk.
ANDY HICKS
BOARD MEMBER
Andy was a keen sportsman growing up but found his true calling being outdoors playing golf. After a successful amateur career Andy turned professional aged 18, but soon found that he was more at home within the business side of golf rather than the playing side. After running some of the country’s best municipal golf courses, Andy broke ground and co-founded an athlete management company, focussing on the mental and emotional well-being of their clients, which included Premiership Footballers, Cricketers & Athletes.
Always working with a keen eye and interest in technology, Andy is now considered one of Europe’s leading sports technology & business advisors, having spent the last 6 years advising some of the world’s leading Sports Technology companies and rights-holders. Andy has an in-depth knowledge of the sports ecosystem from grassroots participation software to sports TV broadcast graphics, and has worked with the likes of BT Sport, European Tour, Nike & Manchester United.
Andy is happiest at home in Warwick, with his fiance Lorna, an ITU Nurse, and his daughters Amie, 12 and Georgia 8, where they spend their weekends going on walks or adventures in their dinghy on the river avon. After a 20-year hiatus, Andy has recently started playing Basketball again, but to a much slower standard.
PATRICK ROONEY
BOARD MEMBER
Patrick’s construction career started in 1984, eventually leading to the formation of his construction management business in 2000. The business model focussed on transparency, teamwork & collaboration as opposed to the standard adversarial approach that dominates the industry. By identifying client business objectives we were able to offer a balance of risk, incentive and profit to both client & supply chain that created a team atmosphere and focus.
Patrick’s sporting passion has always centred around football and his proudest football boast is walking off the Wembley pitch with Diego Maradona in 1980 after his European debut; Maradona the new superstar of world football and Patrick the Ballboy…In March 2020 Patrick opened the first outdoor Futsal court in England underneath the Westway, his proudest achievement.
Patrick is committed to Futsal and what it offers to developing talent. In June 2021 Patrick formed Aloysius FC, a charity community club that connected local schools and the community to offer football to all and is proud to see the development of players and the pride of parents. For 25 years Wednesday’s have been 5-a-side, Champions League and teammate footy chat.
Patrick’s wife Caroline and children Eleanor, Alice and Joseph are central to all parts of his businesses and charitable work.
MICHAEL ‘SKUBES’ SKUBALA
BOARD MEMBER
Michael is currently Leeds United’s U21 Head Coach, having previously been England Football National Team Development Coach (U18s) and England Futsal Head Coach & Performance Manager, taking the baton from Pete Sturgess and Greame Dell. Michael is known as one of the big advocates and architects of futsal in England and boasts an impressive CV, starting out as a PE & Psychology teacher and spending time as Director of Football at Loughborough University on his way to his current roles. Michael is also an entrepreneur, supporting many other organisations and is Chair of the British Universities & Colleges Sport Football & Futsal Sport Advisory Group. He is Advisor to the National Futsal Series board and holds numerous other positions with private businesses.
A highly technically proficient and professional coach with over 20 years performance experience, Michael is a strong decision-maker in performance budget management and key strategy design to maximise performance goals.
During the first quarter of 2023 we will be looking to recruit individuals from the Futsal Community to additional paid and voluntary roles to support the development of England Futsal. More detail will be released shortly on role titles, time commitments, voluntary or paid status and responsibilities.
To register your interest in joining the team fill in the form below.
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