Katz was established in 1998 by former professional goalkeeper Darren Heyes who created a dynamic team of former professionals and qualified coaches to fill a void in goalkeeping coaching. Quality, fun and learning are vital components of any Katz course and the team ensure that we cater for the varying diverse abilities of everyone who we work with.
We provide a full service for all those involved in Goalkeeping at any level from local junior teams to professional clubs and both keepers and coach development sessions for coaches of all levels.
Most young goalkeepers’ experience of training is a target during shooting practice. Goalkeeping is an art and is arguably the most specialist position in football - consequently it takes specialists coaches to coach specialist skills.
The team have worked with some big names in professional football... we can name drop… Shilton, Clemence, Flowers, Ward, Arphexad, Henderson, Kirkland, Segers, Walker, Crossley, Van Breukelen, Parkes and Hislop to name but a few… but what really matters is how much of a positive impact we make to everyone we work with.
The team have experience of being Head GK coaches with Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Leicester City and Mansfield Town and they are now all involved in the development of young goalkeepers across the UK. We are a friendly personable team who will work with individuals and groups to ensure that the performance of goalkeepers stands up to the demands of the modern game.
Meet Some of the Team
Darren Heyes
Head Coach
Darren is the founder of Katz keepers after a long and varied career in professional and youth football. He enjoyed success with England Schoolboys at under 15,16 and 18 level and was further capped for England at Youth and Under 20 level. Heyes went onto play professionally for Nottingham Forest, Wrexham, Scunthorpe United, Sheffield United and Halifax Town.
Darren was appointed Head GK coach for the Bobby Charlton Soccer schools for 2 years and also toured the UK with Bobby and Head Coach John Shiels. Darren also managed in non-league football and succeeded the managership duo of Martin O’Neill and John Robertson after their shock dismissal at Leicestershire outfit Shepshed.
Darren became a qualified UEFA coach after suffering a severe double fracture of his right leg whilst playing in a charity cup match in Birmingham. Following his recovery he was appointed Academy Goalkeeping coach at Nottingham Forest working with all keepers from the age of 7 through to the first team. He then went on to become the First Team goalkeeping coach with Notts County and led the clubs highly acclaimed Centre of Excellence when he was appointed Head of Youth Development.
Darren still plays competitively and regularly dons the gloves for the Nottingham Forest Masters in the Sky Sports tournament but has now committed himself to helping keepers of all ages and abilities to learn new skills, have great fun and become better keepers at the Katz Camps.
Colin Cook
Coach
Born and raised in Nottingham, Colin, like many, played in the Young Elizabethan League from U10 to U16 and was part of the league winning U16 team. Like Heyesy, Colin was lucky enough to have been chosen for tutoring by Peter Shilton at Nottingham Forest and is the proud owner of a trophy from Bobby Moore’s Soccer School. He played representative football for Nottinghamshire at a young age and went on to play reserve and first team football for Keyworth United amongst others. He successfully played in and managed a team in the Sunday leagues at the tender age of 21.
After co-directing Junior Football Tours, specialising in mini-soccer tournaments at holiday camps throughout the UK, Colin went on to run Katz Keepers. Having been approached by Centres of Excellence such as Notts County and more recently Mansfield Town, he currently coaches U8 to U16 keepers working towards professional careers. Colin manages GK camps for Mansfield In The Community and coaches all age groups of goalkeepers for Long Eaton United.
Colin’s coaching skills have taken him as far a field as Yorkshire, Rutland, Leicestershire and Derbyshire.
Colin is still waiting for Bermuda to return his call...
Paul Wilson
Coach
Paul’s career started early in the Young Elizabethan League playing for Moorbridge Colts, Forest Athletic and Priory Celtic. After a successful trial he moved to Notts County FC where he spent 3 years at youth level. Following his release from Notts County Paul returned to full-time study and during his time at High Pavement College he represented Nottinghamshire Schools FA and Nottinghamshire FA achieving great success by winning the Midlands Regional League and the FA County Youth Cup - he also played in the side that won the National Cup competition.
After leaving college Paul returned to Notts County Football Club as a member of the award winning Football in the Community Scheme and also the Centre of Excellence undertaking numerous coaching roles. After 12 years he has returned to education to work at Hadden Park High School enabling him to team up with Katz Keepers once again. Paul also extends his coaching abilities to Nottingham Forest Girls Centre of Excellence at U14 level, Bilborough Pelican 1st tam and Goalkeeper coaching at Hucknall Town.Sharon Bowbanks
Head of Administration
After a career in the hotel and leisure industry, Sharon joined Notts County Football Club in 1996 and enjoyed a spell of 10 years with the club. Initially employed within the commercial department, her varied role saw her take on the responsibility for matchday guests, Junior Magpies, Mascots and all matters associated with sponsorship and advertising for the football club.
In 2004 Sharon was offered the additional opportunity to work with the Centre of Excellence and combined the two roles successfully. She was instrumental in the running and organisation of the Centre and was a key member of personnel in helping the club achieve the status of the Centre of Excellence being rated in the top 3 in the country by the Football League. Sharon left Notts County in 2006 to start a new career as a mum and now runs the business side of Katz Keepers whilst still being involved in the PR and Marketing sector with Heyes Media.
George Heyes
Goalkeeping Advisor
George, a professional Goalkeeper enjoyed great success for over 12 years with Leicester City and Swansea City. George was understudy to England legend Gordon Banks for 5 years and was in the FA Cup Final squads of 1961 and 1963 before losing his place to a young Peter Shilton - who in an amazing twist of fate, was to help Darren Heyes 20 years later when he began his professional career at Nottingham Forest.
It was Katz Coach George who also spotted a young Chris Kirkland playing junior football in Barwell, Leicestershire and utilised his knowledge and resolve - despite rejections from Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Aston Villa - to ensure that Chris signed his first professional contract at Coventry City - an achievement of which all at Katz are very, very proud. Chris went on to play for Liverpool and make his full England debut against Greece - and one that our good mate Eddie Kirkland had more reason than most to celebrate when his 100-1 bet on Chris came up trumps!
