Above: Meet James Howarth, a coach and owner of EvoGK for the last 15 years.
I had a chat with James and this was what we discussed.
James has been churning up some serious football management, or, as he likes to call it, ‘Coaching’ in Durham and beyond in the UK helping our young and older budding goalkeepers to reach their dreams. While he admits to not having a green thumb, he claims to have an eye for beauty in his garden beds. (Of course, we’re talking about post-gardening results here.)
Below: Goal! Well,
a dream for James,
especially for you!
Lillies are on the pitch.
Above: The mission statement for EVOGK.
Here, you find out what James likes and dislikes in the garden.
Think again if you suspect he’s a Petunia or Rose guy. This coach’s heart beats for the Lillies; he can’t get enough of them. As a result, the flowers and grass thrive and are pruned and cut as needed. The lawn is cut with some reluctance as it is on a hill, but football coaches and goalkeepers are built to have loads of stamina, so they can occasionally assist with goals. Fame goes to goalies like Leandro Requena in 2023 and Tom King between Newport County and Cheltenham Town. James also does not falter.
EvoGK – When a Gardner meets Goalkeeper.
So what do gardening and football (goalkeeping) have in common that we discussed?
Well, we did conclude that teamwork, communication, hydration, and exercise were prominent in both gardening projects and a football team. However, lining up people to play football was not the same as laying seeds, covering them up, and then remembering where you planted them, which is quite impossible. You see, seeds don’t do uniformity. It was the exercise that we most focused on next. James was all about fitness and football, and potential strain injuries to your back and legs are quite common (probably from all that gardening action, hey! ), and don’t even get me started on the leg and arm workouts. As far as I could see, he had no use for a spade; in fact, digging the pitch up would be rude, especially if it was not your pitch. Nice thought, good thinking!
To conclude, both football and getting tough on pesky weeds require serious physical effort. Don’t break your back or over-strain was a message I could bring to this conversation. Taking on these challenges, well, however hard the tasks are, they come with a silver lining. These tasks can lead to moments of serenity and tranquillity in your mental state. James wants to see young and old goalkeepers achieve a level surpassing excellence. Much the same, if I get my seeds planted and correctly placed and my hole digging done, I get a sense of achievement and a cup of tea as well.
Who would have thought digging holes and scoring goals would be so rewarding?
So, lace up your gardening gloves and your football cleats and get ready for a muddy session. If you are ready to put your trust in the hands of a professional football coach you could be the next Best, from someone who wants to get the best from you or your child or both, as I know James does, Why not pop over to his website and check it out? Amazing stuff!
Bizzybee-Garden-Market.co.uk wants to be supportive of local small businesses. I fully support and wish James well for the future of EvoGK – Goalkeeping Training.
Affiliate links are present on this page; if you click on any of the links and buy something from EvoGK, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. This is to help with the cost of continuing to run this website and living needs.
Thank you for looking.
Thomas Cooke
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