A YOUNG football coach has realised his dream of setting up his own business after receiving support from a team of regional business experts.
Frazer Barker, 19, from Washington, set up Technical Focus after working for another football coaching business and being inspired to set up on his own.
Providing group coaching as well as one-to-one sessions and holiday provision, the business caters for people aged six upwards.
Over 40 young people participate in Frazer’s sessions every week and with demand growing, he now has a roster of coaches sub-contracted to him and has bold ambitions for the future.
He said: “It was quite daunting setting up on my own, but I’ve been blown away by the response it’s received.
“It started off with me delivering one group session a week but that has quickly grown to four, with up to 12 people in each.
“I am also delivering one-to-one training outside of the classes which is proving really popular. So much so, I am now working with two other coaches to help me cater for the demand.
“I was working for another football coaching business prior to starting Technical Focus but I wanted to start up on my own. Being only 19, I didn’t think I had anything to lose and thankfully it’s all worked out.”
Frazer delivers his sessions at The Millenium Centre and The Hub in Washington, with prices starting from £15 per session.
Alongside running the business, he also plays Northern League football and hopes that, through his coaching, he can inspire more kids to stay fit and realise the benefits of getting involved in sport.
“I enjoy playing football and working with children so that was really what inspired me to get into coaching,” he said.
“I personally think playing football from an early age has shaped who I am today and given me the drive to do it.
“Football has a whole host of benefits, from improving your mental wellbeing to learning vital life skills and staying physically fit and hopefully the work we are doing can help inspire more young people to get involved in the game.”
Having no prior experience of running a business, Frazer turned to the North East BIC to help him get the business off the ground.
Working with business adviser, Helen Wardropper, he was guided through the process of registering the business with HMRC and is now also exploring funding avenues to help grow the business.
“Helen has been a huge help,” he said. “Not only has she helped me register the business and make sure I’ve done everything right, but she also assisted me with my business plan and has helped me network and widen my business circles.
“I am still working with her now as I explore grant funding to help support the purchase of equipment and securing more venues to deliver sessions from. I can’t thank her enough for her support.”
The start-up support that Frazer received from the BIC, which was originally available up to the end of March 2026 as part of Enterprising Sunderland project, received £523,541 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme to deliver support in Sunderland in 2025/26. The programme was managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.
Funding to continue Enterprising Sunderland, up to the end of December 2026, has now been secured. This continuation project forms part of Sunderland’s Business Support Programme, funded by the North East Combined Authority.
Helen said: “Frazer is a remarkably motivated and driven young man, who has studied hard to qualify in his chosen career path and then used this, alongside his natural ability to work with young people, to set up a thriving business.
“The services he provides are invaluable and great for young people seeking to improve their football skills and also their confidence. I would like to wish him the very best and look forward to supporting him on his entrepreneurial journey as the business continues to go from strength-to-strength.”
Peter McIntyre, executive director of economy and place at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re really proud to be directing funding into programmes like Enterprising Sunderland that help entrepreneurial talent to begin their business journey. SMEs are a critical part of our economy in Sunderland, and through support like this, we are seeing the city increasingly recognised as a great location to start-up and grow a business.”
To find out more about Technical Focus, visit their Facebook page.