Uncategorised - MiMentor

19 November 2025

Surf Nation Coaches Leading The Way

by Jamie

30 Surf Nation Coaches Complete First Director of Football Course Powered by MiMentor and Led by Ryan Maye

MiMentor is proud to celebrate the successful completion of the first-ever Surf Nation Director of Football Course, a groundbreaking four-month program developed in partnership with Surf Nation and led by Ryan Maye, Head of Coaching and Development at a leading Premier League club.

Over 30 coaches representing 22 Surf Nation clubs across the United States dedicated themselves to this journey, with participants investing on average 14 hours to complete the courses on the MiMentor Platform with additional time spent attending live webinars and digital drop-in support sessions. The course was designed to empower the next generation of soccer leaders with the knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills needed to drive long-term success within their clubs.

A Comprehensive Learning Experience

Built on MiMentor’s proven education and mentorship framework, the Director of Football course explored key areas essential to high-performing football environments – including vision and mission development, emotional intelligence, and professional growth.

One of the standout modules, Professional Development Planning (PDP), guided coaches through creating structured, actionable plans for their personal and professional growth. Through this module, participants learned how to assess their strengths, identify growth areas, set meaningful goals, and align their development with both personal ambitions and club objectives.

Learning in Action

Throughout the program, coaches were encouraged not just to learn but to apply. Each participant presented how they would implement their key insights within their own clubs – creating a ripple effect of leadership and positive change across Surf Nation.

Reflecting on her experience, Debs Brereton, Surf Nation’s Director of Coaching, shared:

“Learning more about empathy and self-awareness helped me understand how my emotions and behaviours shape the environment I create. Working through the Professional Development Plan really pushed me to think critically about my growth areas – it was challenging, but incredibly rewarding.”

Leadership and Mentorship at the Core

Under the guidance of Ryan Maye, who has played a pivotal role in the success of a current English Premier League club’s academy, coaches benefited from elite-level insights and mentorship throughout the course.

“It’s been a real privilege to work with everyone on the Surf Nation Technical Directors Course,” said Maye. “It’s inspiring to see such a forward-thinking organisation investing in its people and its future. The work done here goes beyond this course, it’s helping shape future leaders and strengthening the development of coaches across Surf Nation.”

A Shared Vision for the Future

The collaboration between MiMentor, as a global leader in coach education, and Surf Nation, one of the most successful youth soccer networks in the U.S., reflects a shared commitment to raising coaching standards and nurturing leaders who make a lasting impact.

“At MiMentor, we’re incredibly proud to partner with Surf Nation and Ryan Maye on such a forward-thinking initiative,” said James Baker our Co-Founder. “The Director of Football Course embodies what MiMentor stands for: empowering coaches and organisations through meaningful education, mentorship, and professional development.”

For over 47 years, Surf has been a pioneering force in youth soccer, with over $12 million in charitable donations, 20+ national championships, and a proud record of developing professional, collegiate, and international players.

By combining Surf’s legacy of excellence with MiMentor’s innovative digital education platform, the Director of Football Course set a new benchmark for leadership development within U.S. soccer, blending world-class expertise, reflective practice, and a commitment to continuous growth.

8 April 2025

A Unified Hub For Development

by Jamie

Aston Villa and MiMentor: Creating A Unified Learning and Development Hub

Success on the pitch is built on teamwork, collaboration, and continuous development – values that extend beyond the coaches and players to the entire club workforce.

Recognising this, Aston Villa Football Club integrated MiMentor at the start of the 2024/25 season to create a unified Education Hub – an all-in-one learning environment designed to support the professional development of staff across multiple departments.

Empowering Academy Coaches

In September 2024, Aston Villa’s full-time academy coaches became the first to access a cutting-edge platform tailored to Aston Villa Football Club, powered by MiMentor, providing a dedicated space for continuous learning and professional growth. The platform integrates MiMentor’s expert-led holistic coaching library, giving coaches access to an extensive range of CPD-accredited courses and resources tailored to their development needs.

“Being remotely attached to your coaches 24/7, and for coaches to be able to access content and CPD, as well as being part of groups that share best practice and resources, at times of their choosing, has significantly enhanced personal development since we have embedded MiMentor into our programme,” said Ryan Maye, Aston Villa’s Head of Coaching.

The library hosts courses and resources from both MiMentor and AVFC with in-built analytics to track and monitor course progress and enable coaches to submit their evidence of learning through videos, written submissions, and other formats, enabling active learning and practical application.

Expanding Player Care and Development

Aston Villa’s Player Care Team is also utilising MiMentor to deliver structured curriculums tailored to different age groups. Through the platform, players can access essential educational content, ensuring holistic development beyond the pitch.

Additionally, the Athlete Mentoring Programme, a bespoke initiative supported by MiMentor, was introduced to assist U18 players. The two-year blended delivery with in-person workshops and online modules is an accredited programme by Associated Sports Qualifications (ASQ). It focuses on ‘Friendtoring’, a peer mentoring approach that encourages players to support and guide each other.

Player Education and Development – Supporting Apprenticeships and BTEC Pathways

Aston Villa FC Head of Education, Ben Ashby, has been leveraging the MiMentor Platform to elevate the delivery of education curriculums across BTEC and apprenticeship programmes. Serving as a central hub for the club’s educational content, MiMentor ensures a structured and accessible learning experience for players navigating the demands of both football and academics.

“MiMentor has played a key role in delivering the Academy’s education programme,” said Ashby. “The platform provides a wealth of resources as well as detailed insights and reporting, which has been invaluable.”

MiGroups Collaboration and Sharing

MiMentor’s MiGroups feature, launched in 2024, fosters a collaborative learning environment. It allows coaches to share insights, discuss best practices, and engage with their peers – a feature that has already benefited organisations worldwide.

Meanwhile, players, parents, tutors, and club education staff can collaborate in real time, track progress with self-assessment targets, and share weekly updates. MiGroups enables clear communication, personalised support and helps all at the football club stay engaged in their development journey.

Future-Ready Learning Ecosystem: Expanding for the 2025/26 Season

By adding MiMentor to the club’s day-to-day development strategy, Aston Villa FC has established a future-ready learning environment, seamlessly integrating professional education for coaches, staff, and players.

James Baker, Co-Founder of MiMentor, said, “The goal is to evolve the platform into a true club-wide learning hub, supporting professional development initiatives across all areas of the organisation.”

Reflecting on the first seven months supporting Aston Villa FC, Baker added, “We are thrilled with how we have been able to integrate and support Aston Villa FC and are excited for what the new season will bring.”

This forward-thinking approach, which has been showcased in FC Business Magazine, ensures that learning is not just an obligation but a strategic advantage, helping Aston Villa FC develop stronger coaches, more informed players, and a more connected, high-performing organisation.

For further information or to book your demonstration, please get in touch with us today, click here.

You can also learn more about the MiMentor Platform and what if can offer clubs, organisations and individuals, via ‘THE PLATFORM‘ link at the top of the page.

3 April 2025

MiMentor and Aston Villa In FC Business

by Jamie

MiMentor and Aston Villa FC Featured in FC Business: Transforming Coach Education

MiMentor is featured in the latest FC Business magazine, showcasing our relationship with Aston Villa FC in revolutionising their coach education, staff training, and player development. The feature highlights how MiMentor’s cutting-edge digital learning platform is supporting one of England’s most historic football clubs in delivering high-quality, accessible education to coaches, players, and staff.

Click here to read the full feature in FC Business (page 23)

How Aston Villa is Maximising MiMentor

Aston Villa is using MiMentor in various ways to enhance learning and development across all levels of the club. From coach education and staff CPD to player development and apprenticeship support, the club is embedding digital learning into its long-term strategy. The platform’s MiGroups feature is playing a pivotal role in fostering collaboration, allowing different departments to share insights and track progress efficiently. This ensures that learning remains structured, engaging, and aligned with the club’s overarching philosophy.

What This Means for Football Clubs and Organisations

The success of MiMentor at Aston Villa underscores how digital learning can transform education in football. Whether you’re a professional club, grassroots organisation, or governing body, MiMentor offers a scalable and customisable solution to support:

Coach Education: Structured learning pathways for coaching qualifications and ongoing CPD.
Staff Development: A centralised hub for training programmes and internal learning.
Player Education: Resources tailored to developing young talent on and off the pitch.
Collaboration & Tracking: Tools like MiGroups to streamline communication and progress monitoring.

By adopting a digital-first approach, clubs and organisations can enhance learning efficiency, accessibility, and engagement, ensuring that education remains at the heart of development.

Discover how your club or organisation can benefit from the MiMentor Platform

If your club or organisation is looking to enhance its coach education, staff CPD, or player development through a dynamic digital learning platform, MiMentor is the perfect solution.

Contact us today to book a demo and see how MiMentor can transform your learning strategy, or click the links at the top of the page to find out more about the MiMentor Platform…

13 March 2025

PGA Pros Growing Through Mentoring

by Jamie

How The PGA Is Benefitting From MiMentor’s Diploma In Sports Mentoring

For any sports organisation, developing skilled, confident, and well-supported coaches is essential.

Effective mentoring can be a game-changer in ensuring that coaches and staff receive the guidance they need to grow and perform at their best.

The PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) recognised this and turned to MiMentor’s tailored Diploma in Sports Mentoring programme that aligns with their specific goals.

A Bespoke Approach to Mentoring

Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all solution, the PGA worked closely with MiMentor to design a programme that would meet their needs. This bespoke approach ensured that the course content, structure, and delivery method complemented the organisation’s existing development pathways.

“We partnered with MiMentor to design a tailored mentoring programme aimed at two key groups: training professionals and trainees,” explains Mark Skinner, Head of Education at the PGA.

This ability to customise the Diploma in Sports Mentoring is what sets MiMentor apart. Sports organisations, clubs, and governing bodies can embed their own values, philosophies, and coaching frameworks into the course, making it directly relevant to their members.

Seamless Learning Integration

One of the biggest challenges in coach education is ensuring that learning is accessible, engaging, and easy to apply in real-world coaching environments. MiMentor’s Diploma in Sports Mentoring for the PGA is structured to combining online modules with live webinars and interactive elements.

“This blended mentoring programme provides a seamless online experience, enabling our members to easily navigate the MiMentor platform, engage in live webinars, and submit their learning for certification,” says Skinner.

By incorporating both self-paced online content and interactive live workshops, the PGA have ensured their members balance professional development with their day-to-day responsibilities. This flexibility makes the programme particularly effective for organisations managing large groups of coaches or staff working across different locations.

Why Sports Organisations Should Consider A Bespoke Mentoring Diploma

The PGA’s success with MiMentor’s programme is a strong example of how sports organisations can benefit from a structured yet flexible approach to mentoring. Whether you oversee a national governing body, a professional club, or a grassroots sports organisation, having a tailored mentoring pathway can lead to:

Better Coach Development: Align learning with your organisation’s coaching philosophy and strategic goals.
Enhanced Engagement: Make education relevant and impactful for your staff and members.
Consistent Standards: Ensure all mentors and coaches operate with a unified approach.
Long-Term Growth: Equip leaders with skills to support ongoing development within your organisation.

Skinner reinforces this point: “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to supporting additional cohorts as they gain these essential mentoring skills.”

A Model for Success

The PGA’s use of MiMentor’s Diploma in Sports Mentoring demonstrates how an forward-thinking organisation that is committed to growth and the education and development of its stakeholders can take an existing framework and adapt it to meet its unique needs.

By embedding their own objectives and values into the programme, they have created a sustainable mentoring model that not only develops their current workforce but also strengthens the future of their sport.

For any sports organisation looking to enhance coach and staff development, the PGA’s experience offers a compelling case study.

Customising a mentoring programme doesn’t just improve learning outcomes, it creates a culture of support, leadership, and continuous improvement that benefits the entire sporting community.

Helping Many Organisations

It’s not just the PGA who is making the most of MiMentor’s Diploma in Sports Mentoring to support the development of their training professionals. Sports organisations world-wide are utilising what MiMentor offers, in conjuction with its training partners e.t.c Coaching Consultants and Summitpeople.

English Premier League club Aston Villa, the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR), United Soccer Coaches, National Sports Group and the Development Player League are among those empowers coaches, athletes and mentors to support the development of knowledge, skills, and effectiveness in helping others, enabling them excel in their roles while advancing their own mentoring capabilities.

Take Your Next Steps In Mentoring Effectiveness

If you want your coaches and staff to enhance their mentoring effectiveness to benefit your whole club or organisations, our Diploma in Sports Mentoring is there for your next steps on that development journey of empowering your leaders.

So, drop us a line to discuss how a Bespoke Mentoring Diploma can support your organisation’s goals.