Interview with Biju Philip - Chairperson, Sport4all Foundation, Australia

Interview with Chairperson, Sport4all Foundation, Australia (http://www.sport4allfoundation.org/) Biju Philip.

Q. Please tell us a bit about yourself both professionally and from a sports perspective?

Biju Philip: I am a village boy from the central part (Kalloppara) of Kerala, India. I completed my basic degree in Kerala and first masters in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. I worked in India for a short period as a lecturer, then moved to Singapore and I lived there for five years. Presently, I am living in Melbourne, Australia with my wife Susan and three boys. I work at the University of Melbourne. I am a Certified Practicing Accountant and a member of the CPA Australia Victorian Public Sector Committee.

Biju Philip: I have played sports at school and university level and continued it until I tore my ACL a couple of years ago.

Q. What are you soccer coaching qualifications and what kind of clubs have you coached or are coaching?

Biju Philip: My love for football (soccer) reemerged when my son Josh Philip joined with the FC Bulleen Lions Club (one of the leading football clubs in Melbourne) for his first season of grass root football training. I started as a parent helper coach and worked under the leadership of an experienced and highly professional supervisor. I have been coaching with the FC Bulleen Lions Club for the last couple of years in various age groups under 11. I am also an accredited Junior Football coach with the Football Federation of Australia.

Q. As a professional accountant and a soccer coach how do you balance the time required for both roles?

Biju Philip: Harmit, that’s a million dollar question….! Prioritizing and managing time is really challenging. The best thing about soccer coaching is that my children are involved in the sport and this is a quality time with my family and few other families. There is a lot to give and take in this process and I am thoroughly enjoying it and growing through this process.

• When you are passionate about something, time is not the main issue. I believe that we all have enough time to do what we want to do. The problem is deciding what we want to do and sticking with it.

Q. What is the purpose of Sport4all Foundation and why was it set up?

• Sport4all Foundation is made up of a dedicated and passionate group of people that provide sporting opportunities for disadvantaged people throughout the world. Through the power of sport people can be empowered to achieve wonderful things for their communities that improve the health and well-being of people and empower them to build strong vibrant communities.

Q. Were there any specific reasons that made you focus on India and Costa Rica?

Biju Philip: As a start, we are working through our contacts as a launching pad. Sport4all Foundation is a charitable organization and we prefer to support where our help is most needed.

Q. At what stage are the programs for both of these countries?

• We are in the final stage of the preparation for India, a draft football coaching manual covering all aspects of coaching, including weekly training session for 20 weeks has been developed. We are also producing a DVD for skills training as give-aways for coaches. Cost Rica we will be doing athletics training

Q. What kind of programs do you see being run in India and which sports do you plan to focus on?

Biju Philip: In India the Foundation will run a series of football (soccer) clinics to introduce a “Coach the Coaches Program” for grass root level coaches. The grass root level coaching program will be based on the new and revolutionary football coaching philosophy “Player development” rather than coaching for winning the game. This new philosophy will introduce a developmental program for players from the age of five to eleven. Players are gradually taken into various levels of football training based on the concept of readiness (the disposition of certain degree of maturity). Gradual stimulation of training and progressive and healthy competition over the years will allow young players to advance to a professional 11 v 11 football game format where players will developed as decision makers rather than decision takers.

• The grass root level coaching program will introduce community coaching pathways for parents and other sports lovers; this program also encourages and supports parents and community leaders to start football clubs around the country. The Sport4all Foundation will continue its support in capacity building and professional development for coaches. We believe that these professional and structured approach will revolutionise football coaching in India.

Q. Have any locations, timing or partners been finalized for such a program at this stage?

Biju Philip: We will be rolling out our first program with Oasis India in Chennai in February 2011. We are also in the process of identifying partners across India.

Many thanks for sparing the time to speak to us and we look forward to hearing more about your programs in India

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