Introduction – Who Am I, and What Is CRL Sports About?

Soccer is more than just a game - a growth, resilience, and opportunity journey. With over 23 years of experience coaching at all levels, from grassroots to elite, I’ve dedicated my career to helping players, coaches, and teams unlock their full potential. My mission is simple: to empower individuals and organisations to achieve their goals and exceed expectations. Welcome to CRL Sports - where development meets opportunity.

My ultimate goal has always been to help people. Initially, my “why” centred around being a Head Coach. While this remains true, I’ve realised it’s just one part of my purpose. My actual “why” is broader - it’s about helping people grow as individuals, teams, or organisations. Whether it be mentoring, profiling or serving as a “critical friend” to a coach, player, club or organisation, my focus is always on development and progress.

Now, who am I? I am Craig Large, a UEFA A Licenced and English FA Advanced Youth Award qualified coach with an MSc in Sport Coaching and an EMCC qualified Mentor. My career has spanned decades, giving me the privilege of working at all levels of the game. Through my MSc dissertation, I explored the characteristics required for a Head Coach to succeed. However, a supporting strand to these characteristics is opportunity. After all, no matter how talented someone is, their potential means little if they don’t have the chance to showcase it. My goal is to provide those opportunities and help individuals seize them.

How I Can Help

At CRL Sports, I offer services to support individuals and organisations in soccer. Let’s explore how I can make a difference:

1. Mentoring

Having been mentored, I’ve experienced firsthand the power of having a trusted sounding board. Mentoring is not about providing answers but helping individuals make sense of their thoughts and emotions in a safe and confidential environment.

As a mentor, I work with players and coaches to:

• Navigate challenges with clarity.
• Reflect on their goals and actions.
• Grow personally and professionally.

I empower mentees to find their paths and confidently make decisions by offering guidance without dictating solutions.

2. Coach Development

I’ve always sought to grow as a coach, driven not by certificates but by a thirst for knowledge. With my background, I work collaboratively with coaches to design bespoke development plans tailored to their unique needs. Here’s how:

• For Performance Coaches: Using research from my MSc dissertation, we assess key success characteristics and identify improvement areas. Together, we’ll craft a strategy to elevate your coaching career.
• For Development Coaches: We focus on how you can continue to grow while fostering the development of your players. This includes feedback on session design, game analysis, and reflection techniques.

Whether in person or remotely, I’m here to guide you in becoming your best coach.

3. Player Development

Helping players reach their full potential is at the heart of what I do. I profile players to create personalised development pathways, focusing on their strengths and areas for improvement. Using my development model, I provide a solid foundation that allows players to build skills, confidence, and a deeper understanding of the game.

4. Working with Clubs

Clubs often face challenges that require an external perspective. Here’s how I can assist:

• Leadership Roles: I can take on a direct role, leading a team or assisting coaching staff to achieve club objectives.
• Mentoring and Critical Friend: Sometimes, an independent voice is needed - someone who isn’t directly tied to the club but can provide honest feedback and support. I can serve as a “critical friend” for coaches, staff, or players, offering unbiased reflections and relieving some of their pressures.

5. Scouting

I provide detailed reports on players, teams, and staff. My scouting work includes:

• Evaluating strengths and areas for improvement.
• Grading performance and assessing how individuals fit within a team’s structure.
• Offering insights for both immediate and future planning.

6. Research

My MSc dissertation was an incredibly fulfilling experience, allowing me to explore the intricacies of soccer coaching and development. Research continues to be a passion of mine, and I’m eager to collaborate with others on topics that can inform and improve future practices. Engaging in discussions, challenging assumptions, and learning from others are central to my philosophy.

Why Work with Me?

The environment we’ll create together will be honest, challenging, and, above all, safe. You will hear what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. This collaboration will be built on trust, and I will support you in achieving your goals while pushing boundaries.

I know what it’s like to overcome challenges and seize unexpected opportunities. My career shouldn’t have happened - but it did because I worked hard and had the right people supporting me. Now, I want to be that person for others.

Join Me on This Journey

If you’re ready to take your next step - whether as a player, coach, or organisation - I’m here to help. Let’s start a conversation and explore how we can work together to achieve your goals. Contact me today to learn more and set up an initial consultation.