A New Life: Former marketing manager John Power has hung up his shirt and tie to coach the future footballers of Galway, writes Lorna Siggins
He used to go to work in suit and tie, but now tracksuit and ice pack are the most important items in his "briefcase". John Power's marketing career was on an upward trajectory when he booked an airline ticket which was to change his life.
The ticket was to Australia on a one-year working visa, and he remembers sitting in Freaney's pub in Galway and being told that he had made a big mistake. "I was with Coca-Cola where I was business developer - a fancy title for marketing manager. I fully intended to stay with marketing, and just wanted to take the year out and get some experience elsewhere. For some people though, it seemed as if I was throwing everything away."
"Everything" included a degree in marketing which he had acquired at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. The degree took five years - "let's say I had a break in the middle and spent a year in an insurance company, which I really enjoyed", he says. He worked part time after graduation, and was then fortunate enough to secure a post with Coca-Cola, initially in Mayo and at the Tuam, Co Galway depot which was the distribution point for the west of Ireland.
"Latterly then, they offered me promotion, and I was based in Galway city. It was enjoyable, I had a good job."
When the Australian work visa came through, he didn't quite get there as he had planned. The flight took him, and a friend, Keith, to Toronto, Canada, where he intended to stop off for a week with his older brother, Liam.
"I remember we left Galway on June 8th, landed the next day in Toronto, and I didn't fly out of there again till December 1st. Liam persuaded us to stay a second week, and that fortnight turned into six, and then it was the end of the summer and the weeks rolled on"
Most people want to shake off their guests after a while, even close family, but there was method to Liam's madness. Having emigrated to Canada himself as a sales representative, he had developed a full-time career in coaching soccer, recognised by the Canadian Soccer Association. The managing director of Power Soccer in Toronto now needed staff for his summer camps.
The little brother and his pal were ideal candidates, although John had actually retired from soccer at under-10.
The six months in Canada was a wonderful experience and an eye-opener for John. "I finally got to Australia after several more stops en route through Asia, and stayed three months. Liam was getting married, so I flew back to Ireland and on to Canada for the wedding. Then Liam asked me to work another summer with him, which I did, and I came back to Galway and set up my first Power Soccer Christmas camp in early January 2001.
"At the start, it was part time, and that camp was for eight- to 15-year-olds, but I could see there was a demand from parents for coaching younger kids. Most clubs don't take younger kids. They aren't really doing much extra-curricular sport in school at that early stage, and even the clubs that would want to do it are short of funds and equipment. It also requires a lot of voluntary commitment.
"I could see there was scope for a professionally run service which focused on a low ratio of player per coach and good facilities. Yet, at the same time, several people had serious chats with me to point out that it was never going to be a runner and that I should realise that.
"So I kept applying for these sales rep jobs that I didn't really want - just to keep people happy. At one point, in an interview, I heard myself talking about what I was doing and actually selling the idea of a full- time soccer school.
"Then I knew it was time to acknowledge that this was what I was going to do."
A friend gave him some work in his business, with access to a photocopier. "Between that and my sister's computer, I worked on my literature, and I have to say the degree in marketing really helped me."
He acquired a panel of 10 coaches, most working part-time but several full-time, through word of mouth. "The whole emphasis is on fun, skill and activity - but specially fun."
The 'clinics' are now run in Galway city and in Claregalway, Gort, Headford and Loughrea through the county.
The ratio is eight to one coach for younger kids, and 10 to one for the older ones, with a maximum of 20 per class.
"Girls are very welcome - we encourage it - and during skill sessions every child has a ball, which is size three for up to eight-year-olds and size four for up to 12-year-olds. For the game to take off in Ireland, I fully believe you need qualified people working with the youngest kids and with good equipment, including a ball per player."
The cost of insurance was a big factor when he was setting up. His parents, Maurice and Maureen, were and are extremely supportive.
Among his coaching panel, he is fortunate to have Gary Traynor, a first division player in Galway, FAI level one coach and former Galway United player; Rory Walshe, also a player, with "buckets of patience"; Emer Moore, who is working in a crèche and studying Montessori teaching; and Jimy Nolan, a former Galway United star.
"They all bring different skills and qualities, and in Emer's case her pre-school training has been invaluable for the younger kids - and the kids who come all kitted out, but then don't really want to play at all," he says.
"It has got to the stage where I can see myself expanding into Mayo, but I have no plans to go nationwide. Growing too fast could ruin the business.
"I suppose that in my heart I always believed it was going to be a success, but it has been very hard work. Still, that hard work and that self-belief will take you a long way.
"And even if you are up at 4 a.m. sometimes doing up brochures, there's nothing quite like the challenge of it all."
Power Soccer School of Excellence is at 32 Renmore Road, Galway, tel (086)4089579 , email powersoccerschool@eircom.net and website www.powersoccer.ca