NEW YEAR... NEW BLOG!!

Today a new year starts, and today a new project starts in my life. I had been thinking of writing a blog for a while but never seemed to make up my mind. Finally, I decided that the New Year would come with a new blog, a blog about “simply sport”. My passion, my life, my world... so it is not very difficult to guess what I am going to write about. You may be thinking “New Year? It is November...”. I know, I know, I am not crazy! I could just not wait for the 1^st January 2012 to write my first post, so here it is the first of many more... or so I hope!

I would like to use my first post to introduce myself and what I do. My name is Daniel Berdejo-del-Fresno, I was born and lived in Utebo (Spain) until I and my love left Spain on 21^st September 2008 to live in Manchester (United Kingdom). I hold a Degree in Physical Education Teaching (University of La Rioja, Spain) and a Degree in Exercise & Sport Science (University of Castilla La Mancha, Spain). After that, I wished to improve my knowledge of the field so I am currently pursuing a PhD in Sport Performance (University of Castilla La Mancha, Spain). In December 2008 I travelled to Spain to defend my “Diploma de Estudios Avanzados” in Sport Performance (the equivalent to an MPhil in the UK Universities) with the research “Anthropometric and physical condition changes in season for talented tennis players” (which was later published as a book). In January 2009, I became involved in a 5-month research scholarship at Manchester Metropolitan University as part of my PhD programme and we (my girl and I) decided to settle down in Manchester. Hopefully, I will defend my PhD Thesis in the next great Olympic year 2012.

During the last years I have been working as an S&C Coach in several teams and different sports (tennis, basketball, futsal, athletics, mountain bike, cycling, hockey...), at both high and grassroots level, in Spain and the UK. Regarding tennis, in Spain I used to be the S&C Coach for the Aragonese Tennis Federation Sports Centre. And as for basketball, I got to work as the Lead S&C Coach for a number of Spanish teams, emphasising my university practicum with Alta Gestión Fuenlabrada S.A.D. – an ACB League Basketball Team.

Here in England, for two years I was the Lead S&C Coach for the Manchester Mystics Women’s Basketball Club – England Basketball League Division I and EBL Div II, Leeds Carnegie Women’s Basketball – EBL Div I, and the North West Under 17 Women’s Basketball (Regional Squad Performance).  In addition, I have planned, designed and implemented a series of personal training sessions for some of the female basketball players of the England Under 18 Team, the Scotland Under 18 Team, the Great Britain Under 20 Team and the Great Britain Senior Team. Also, during the summer of 2009 I worked as the S&C Coach for the Great Britain Under 20 Women’s Basketball Team for the European Championship 2009 in Macedonia.

Wishing to explore new fields, last season (2010-2011) I started to work as the S&C Coach for Manchester Futsal Club, and we won the FA Futsal Cup for the first time in their history. This season 2011-2012 I am still working with Manchester Futsal Club as their S&C Coach, but I am also their Goalkeeper Coach and Assistant Coach. Finally, in May 2010, I started to work with The Football Association as the S&C Coach for the England National Futsal Team with the aim to qualify for the first time for the Futsal World Cup in Thailand 2012.

My experience in athletics comes from my background as a long distance runner since I was ten years old. Currently, I run for two First Division teams – a Spanish team (Hinaco-Monzón) and an English one (Trafford A.C.). I have a great coach, José Fernando García-Herbera “Phondy”. I usually participate in regional and national races.



Aragon Club Championships - 3000m Steeplechase, 14-04-2011, Monzón (Huesca, Spain).

Regarding cycling, I used to be the coach of a Spanish mountain biker. Later in Manchester, I began to work for British Cycling Federation within their Bikeability programme and their recreation project SkyRide.

As for hockey, I have recently started to work for the England Hockey Board as a Rush Hockey Activator. Rush Hockey is a new fast and fun way to play hockey.

Below are some of my comments as the current Lead S&C for Manchester Futsal Club and England Futsal National Team:

“This is the first time I work on futsal, so it is a great challenge for me and I am thrilled with this new project. My main goal is to help develop MFC so it becomes a professional club. Obviously, I want to contribute to the players’ development, which will therefore improve the English futsal and the England National Team’s level. I would be happy if, in the next 2 or 3 seasons, MFC could participate in the UEFA Cup. However, I never like to say “our goal is to win the league” or “to finish in the Top 3”, but my philosophy is “work hard... and well”. If we do that, we will achieve success”.

I hope that this first post has provided you with an overview of who I am and what I do. Most importantly, I hope it has been interesting and has awaken your interest in my blog!