Niall’s mission is help people to stay active

Ciara O’Hara

Niall Fagan is on a mission to make communities more active, educate children on the benefits of exercise and inspire even reluctant athletes to get moving and have fun. The Castlepollard-based founder of Headstart Sports Coaching told the Westmeath Examiner he hopes to “open the door to a healthy lifestyle” and motivate young people “to continue regular activity throughout their lives”.

Born in Manchester in 1991, with a grandfather who was a steward in Old Trafford, Niall spent his formative years playing football and watching Manchester United. He remembers visiting Barcelona to watch United win the ‘treble trophies’ with their famous 1999 victory against Bayern Munich when he was only eight years old.

Niall’s grandfather, Michael Fagan, met many football legends in his 40-year career as a steward. One of his proudest moments was escorting Sir Matt Busby to the 1983 FA Cup Final at Wembley. After retiring, Michael returned to Castlepollard, where he founded the local Manchester United supporters club.

The supporters club made several trips to Manchester, meeting many celebrated players down through the years, including Roy Keane, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona. Niall had the privilege of meeting them all too. Encountering “these footballing heroes and dreaming of emulating their success” would have a profound effect on him.

“My sporting hero from an early age was David Beckham. I wore my Manchester United shirt with ‘Beckham’ printed on the back proudly. I wore the same boots as Beckham and on many occasions emulated his 1996 half-line goal against Wimbledon, as well as scoring several ‘Olympic’ goals from the corner flag – all skills I learned by repeatedly practicing Beckham’s techniques.”

Niall’s ambition of “playing on the hallowed turf” was realised in 2001. He was chosen to play at Old Trafford and be instructed by Manchester United coaches when he was just 10 years old. That experience was “pivotal” to the course Niall’s life would take, setting him on his “future path into football and sports coaching”.

Niall’s parents, Richard and Maria, had met and married in Manchester, and with all four grandparents having retired to Ireland, they decided to follow them. In 2002, Niall, his parents and siblings, Ciaran and Roisin, swapped “the fast pace of a large city, for a better quality of life” in Westmeath.

Although moving “from suburban Manchester to rural Castlepollard” was quite an adjustment, playing football was crucial to Niall settling in to his new environment, helping him make friends and feel at home. He attended Scoil Mhuire in Coole and then Coláiste Mhuire in Mullingar.

“My passion for sport continued throughout my school years. I played football initially with Mullingar Athletic FC and then Kinnegad Juniors. I progressed to North Dublin Academy and trials with Norwich FC. I was chosen for the FAI Emerging Talent Programme and went on to play with both Shelbourne FC and Longford Town,” said Niall.

Scoring more than 200 goals over four seasons won Niall several ‘Top Goal Scorer’ and ‘Player of the Year’ awards. While studying in Manchester Metropolitan University, Niall captained the university soccer team. In 2015, when playing with Inny FC, Niall won ‘Player of the Year’ and ‘Top Goal Scorer’ again, and was presented with the awards by another notable goal-scorer, Ian Rush.

The same year, after graduating with a 2:1 honours degree in Coaching and Sports Development, Niall returned to Castlepollard. With the help of his family and the Westmeath Community Development Scheme, he established Headstart Sports Coaching. “The name of the business came about simply with a view to giving a head start in sport to those being coached,” said Niall.

“I initially introduced my ‘Fundamental Movements Skills’ programme to the children of Gaelscoil an Choillín and Collinstown NS, with the support of school principals Lorraine Scally and Proinsias O’Fearghail. These schools were the cornerstone of my business and soon word of mouth recommendations followed, and schools across Westmeath and Longford availed of my sports coaching services.”

Since then, Headstart Sports Coaching has grown significantly, offering a range of sporting programmes to both national and secondary schools, clubs and communities.

Headstart offers a with a wide range of sports instruction including football, GAA, basketball, badminton, hockey, Olympic handball, tag rugby, handball, gymnastics and rounders.

Niall runs after-school clubs, breakfast clubs and camps during the school holidays. He also works closely with the Westmeath Sports Partnership and Áirc Midlands, who support families and children with additional needs. For several years, Niall has volunteered to train children for the Community Games. He regularly attends courses to develop his own coaching skills even further and stay updated on the latest techniques.

When the pandemic posed a challenge, Niall channelled his energy online, sharing exercise videos on social media that attracted huge audiences. When Covid-19 restrictions eased, Headstart adapted again, providing individual mats to schools, ensuring children were spaced at a safe distance so that physical activity could continue.

What Niall loves most about coaching is sharing the knowledge he has gleaned from all his years of training, and fostering “a love and passion for sport and physical activity”. He is determined to provide “encouragement and assistance” to all young people, whether or not they are naturally athletic, so that everyone can “reach their personal potential”.

It’s important to Niall that all the children he coaches enjoy getting active, regardless of their sporting ability. He organises “small-sided games” that all skill levels can take part in. “Even the most reluctant participants enjoy their experience… the policy is to just turn up and have fun,” said Niall.

Niall hopes that by offering young people “the platform to have fun and express themselves in a safe environment” he can instil a positive relation relationship with sport and exercise that lasts a lifetime. He feels indebted to all the sporting figures who made an impact on his own life and hopes to pass on the gifts they gave him to new generations.

“My coaching hero, without doubt, is my father, Richard. Since I first showed an interest in football and sport, he has inspired, supported and encouraged me… his knowledge of football is encyclopaedic, and his coaching technique stands head and shoulders above any other coach I have encountered, with his many successes a testament to his devotion to the game. I learned from the best!”

Visit headstartsportscoaching.ie for more information on Niall’s range of coaching services, camps and clubs for children.