Colin Yelverton still a key figure after three decades of service to club Leeds

AFTER three decades with his beloved Leeds, Colin Yelverton is a key figure for his club. 

His current roles at Leeds as U12 manager, assistant senior manager and children’s officer show his love for the club and his interest in development right throughout the club from underage to senior.

I recently worked alongside Colin with the Cork U12 boys team and his passion for the game and, more importantly, for player development shone immediately.

If the father of two wasn’t busy enough he took on further roles outside of the club with that Cork U12 crop and youths team. But Yelverton has loved his journey from player to coach, juggling family and sport, thanks to the support from his wife.

“I've been part of the Leeds football club since I was just 11 years old, and 30 years later, I'm still here. Throughout my footballing journey, I've played all my schoolboy football with Leeds, and I've also had the privilege of playing both at junior and senior levels. 

"During the 2000s, I was fortunate enough to be part of some very strong teams at Leeds, playing alongside fantastic players such as Paul Fitzgerald, Alan Larkin, Philip Martin, and Jason Yelverton. Most recently, I've been playing with the Leeds over 3's team under Timmy Singleton, where we've managed to win a few cups and leagues together."

He always had an interest in coaching but never thought it would become a full-time job.

“Football runs in my family. My father and his brothers were all football mad, and even my mother and sister share the same love for the sport. 

"Some of my earliest memories involve watching my dad play at Flower Lodge with my brothers Jason and Greg. Both my brothers were excellent players, much better than I was, but we all shared the same passion for the game. Today, both my brothers are coaches, with Greg having a full-time role and Jason helping out in the Leeds Academy. 

Football has been a big part of my family's life, and it's great to see that love and enthusiasm passed down through the generations."

He has been coaching for the last seven years at schoolboys, youth and senior level, as well as working with players of all skill levels.

“None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the support of many people in my life. My wife Rachael has been an incredible support for me, and I am very grateful for her support in my coaching ambitions. She understands the demands of coaching and has been incredibly supportive in helping me manage my time and responsibilities.

“I am very fortunate that my club Leeds has been great to me in helping me balance all my teams. The backroom teams for each team are superb, and I am very lucky to have such great people around me to support me.

“Having several roles, Juggling these can be challenging, but I believe that it's important to prioritize and manage my time effectively. Micky Buckley, James Fogarty and Paul Fitzgerald have been a great support with Leeds seniors and Shane Sherlock and Ken Harrington have been brilliant with the Leeds U12s." 

Last weekend Yelverton was part of the Cork U12 management squad who bowed out at the quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland with a loss on penalties to Kilkenny. It will hurt for a while yet but he believes both the coaches and players have learned a lot.

“With the Cork Schoolboys League U12 team, we have won back-to-back Munster titles which is a fantastic achievement for the players and the team. This success was a result of the hard work and dedication of the players and the coaching staff, and it was great to see their efforts pay off. However last weekend's loss to Kilkenny was a hard one to take.

“As a coach, it is always disheartening to lose, particularly after the players have put in a tremendous amount of effort and hard work throughout the season. 

Our team gave their all in the game, and indeed throughout the year, but unfortunately, they were exhausted due to an intense schedule. 

"All of our players had to play in U12 Local cup matches on Saturday, with some of them going to extra time, leaving them feeling drained and spent during the extra time of the game. However, it is crucial to learn from the experience and to use it as motivation to improve and come back even stronger next time.”