Empowering the next generation of coaches: Davies Sports supports The FA

Empowering the next generation of coaches: Davies Sports supports The FA

For more than six decades, we’ve stood alongside the professionals who shape sport and PE at every level. Whether its new teachers stepping into their first PE lesson, grassroots volunteers leading weekend training sessions or performance coaches developing future talent, our mission has remained the same. To support the supporters and equip them with everything they need to inspire.

We’re proud to announce that our Shoshin 90x60cm Football Tactics Boards have recently been selected to support The Football Association’s delivery of the UEFA B Diploma. The tactics boards will be used by the FA’s coach developers, who will be delivering the course to over 860 learners.

This work places the Shoshin brand at the heart of coach development in England, directly supporting the development of the next generation of football coaches.

What is the UEFA B Diploma?

The UEFA B Diploma is one of the most recognised coaching qualifications in world football. Delivered by FA Learning, it is designed for coaches working across grassroots and performance pathways who want to deepen their understanding of the game and enhance their ability to develop players.

The course focuses on equipping coaches to:

• Design and deliver effective, game-based training sessions

• Develop players technically, tactically, physically and psychologically

• Analyse performance and implement match strategies

• Lead and manage players within competitive environments

Delivered by experienced FA coach developers, the programme will support over 860 learners during the current delivery cycle. These learners represent coaches working across clubs, schools and academies throughout the country, collectively influencing thousands of players in the years ahead. Find out more about the UEFA B Diploma here.

Enhancing learning through practical tools

High-quality education requires high-quality tools. Developed in collaboration with leading coaches working with the professional game, the Shoshin 90 x 60cm Football Tactics Board reflects modern tactical thinking rather than outdated pitch diagrams.

Its distinctive grid design is intentionally structured to mirror how elite coaches analyse space. By clearly dividing the pitch into five vertical lanes (two wide, two half-spaces and the central lane), it allows coaches to visually explain concepts that are now fundamental to the modern game such as exploiting half-spaces and creating overloads between defensive lines.

The board also enables:

• Clear visualisation of team shapes and systems of play

• Demonstration of movement, transitions and positional detail

• Collaborative discussion and interactive learning

• Confident presentation within classroom, workshop and on-pitch settings

In coaching education, clarity matters. The ability to translate theory into visual and practical understanding is critical. Tools like the Shoshin tactics board help bridge that gap.

A meaningful milestone for the Shoshin brand

Being able to support The FA’s UEFA B Diploma course is a powerful statement of product quality, durability and educational value.

As the next generation of coaches progress through the UEFA B Diploma, we are proud that our Shoshin Football Tactics Boards will help them communicate ideas, develop players and grow the game. By embedding contemporary tactical principles directly into the board’s design, we provide coaches with a tool that aligns with how the modern game is taught and understood.

Because when we equip the coach, we ultimately impact every player they go on to inspire.