Academy column: We can all learn from Heighway
In this week’s Academy column we speak to youth development coach Barry Lewtas about the opportunity to work at the Kirkby complex alongside club legend Steve Heighway.
I joined the Academy in the summer of 2013 and at the start of this season I took up a new role working with our U15s. This is the team I take responsibility for and I also work with the U16s as well with Des Maher, so we work closely together. Last year my role was working with the U12 group but I also oversaw the development of the U10s and U11s group. That involved helping the boys make that step up to playing 11 v 11-a-side games.
Steve Heighway is now back at the Academy in a full-time capacity as a consultant and it is truly inspirational having such a legend like him working with us. It’s absolutely fantastic for me because I worked with Steve last year when he first came back in a voluntary role. I worked alongside Steve and Phil Charnock. Phil you may remember became Liverpool’s youngest ever European debutant when he appeared as a substitute against Apollon Limassol in 1992 at Anfield. I think Steve got the bug back and everyone can learn so much from him. Myself and Des work with Steve on a day-to-day basis and he supports us so much. He also uses his experience to support the players as well, so from my point of view it really is an amazing experience. It’s not only great for the club that he is back but it’s great for the boys as well. He has developed some of the best players to ever grace the Premier League.
My step to coaching actually came via a friend. I was at university and a close friend of mine was doing some coaching and he went over to the USA to work on his badges. He told me I should get involved. I have always loved the game and thought I could help the young players so I decided to give it a go. Ever since I did my first coaching badge I was hooked and my aim was always to try and go higher and higher in terms of youth development. It really did go from there and every day I come into the Academy it really is an amazing experience and I thoroughly enjoy it.
My first job working for five years at Wigan Athletic’s Academy and then I moved to Bolton Wanderers for a further five to six years and then I got the fantastic opportunity to come to Liverpool. I really enjoyed it at Bolton and it’s a fantastic club, but this is Liverpool and it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. It is a challenging role and very rewarding at the same time, it is a privilege to be able to support the players on their journey through the Academy.
Our Academy director Alex Inglethorpe deserves great credit because he makes the Kirkby complex a very special place to come in and work every day. Everyone works together, there is a real cohesion between each age group and every age group is just as important as the other. Alex has brought everyone on board and we are all very clear on what we all want, and that is to produce players for our first team. When you are involved at Academy level all you are looking for is the boys to be successful, get to Melwood and play in the first team. We feel we have some really talented boys here and with people like Alex and Steve I think the youth development really is in the best possible hands.