Shouting From The Sidelines

In this episode, we look into the fascinating world of the Relative Age Effect and its implications for young football players. We discuss the issues that can come for early and late developers and how parents and coaches can offer support. We explore how birthdate can influence a child's athletic development, opportunities, and potential pitfalls in the youth football world. Whether you're a seasoned football parent or new to the game, understanding this phenomenon is crucial for supporting your child's journey in football. We'll also provide actionable tips to help you navigate this often-overlooked aspect of junior football that continues to play a big part in the development and enjoyment of young players.

Ever wondered why some young footballers stop improving? Well, you're about to find out! In today's episode we unravel the top 4 reasons why some young footballers excel while others seem to hit a plateau. Through years of coaching experience and countless interactions with young players, we've identified key areas where attention is needed. But, have you ever asked yourself if your child is truly enjoying their football journey, or if they're in the right environment that nurtures their growth? From discussing the critical importance of adequate training frequency to the nuanced dynamics of coaching quality and environment fit, we delve deep into youth football development. This conversation isn't just about identifying areas for improvement; it's about actionable insights. How can you, as a parent or coach, facilitate a more enriching footballing experience for your child? Is it through embracing more playtime in the park with friends, or perhaps seeking out football camps that offer intensive skill honing? We also tackle the often-overlooked aspect of personal desire and enjoyment in football. It's a candid exploration of what truly motivates young players and how this understanding can radically transform their developmental trajectory. Plus, we share practical applications, like specific drills and strategies, to immediately elevate training sessions. Whether you're a coach looking to refine your approach or a parent aiming to support your child's football aspirations, this video is packed with valuable takeaways.In our community, we believe in the power of shared knowledge and experiences. So, we'd love to hear your thoughts and stories. How have you navigated the challenges of youth football development? What strategies have worked for you? Drop your insights in the comments below, and let's learn from each other. For more rich discussions and expert advice on football training, coaching, and youth development, make sure to subscribe to our channel. And don't forget to visit the Foot-Tech Academy website for detailed information on our classes, coaching philosophy, and upcoming football camps Foot-Tech Academy is a children’s football coaching school in Leeds. For more about what we do visit our website - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk Join our football classes in Leeds: 5-14 year olds - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/football-sessions 2-4 year old (pre-school football) - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/3-4-year-old-football-training 121 football coaching - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/1-2-1-coaching School holiday camps - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/school-holidays

As parents, we want nothing but the best for our children, especially when it comes to their interests and passions. But in the world of youth football, how do we strike the right balance between nurturing our kids' love for the game and inadvertently pressuring them to excel? In this insightful video, we delve into the delicate balance of fostering football passion in children without overwhelming them with parental expectations. Discover practical tips and strategies for creating a supportive environment where children can develop a genuine obsession for football on their terms so it is them, not us, who are obsessed. Foot-Tech Academy is a children’s football coaching school in Leeds. For more about what we do visit our website - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk Join our football classes in Leeds: 5-14 year olds - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/football-sessions 2-4 year old (pre-school football)- https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/3-4-year-old-football-training 121 football coaching - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/1-2-1-coaching School holiday camps - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/school-holidays

How to coach mixed-abilities - a question we get asked a lot. Coaching football is hard enough but when you need to balance different ability levels it becomes even harder! We have a lot of experience of this at Foot-Tech as we welcome all abilities and often times we have children who are late to football, which can make things even trickier. In this episode we go through some of our best tips for coaching mixed ability football training sessions. Some are obvious, some are maybe ones you haven't thought about. Always keen to get the views of others so please do share your ideas. Parents, if you have a beginner player and you're worried about how to get them involved in football training because you feel they'll be too far behind... Speak to us about how we can help. Find more details out about our football coaching school by visiting our website: https://foot-techacademy.co.uk

Are you a coach who still teaches dribbling, passing etc in isolation? i.e. without defenders on in a game-situation? Are you a parent who watches their child's football training sessions and sees nothing but kids dribbling around cones or passing in two's? It has long being believed that we need to teach young players 'skills', 'the fundamentals' before we can put them into a match. But there isn't any research or evidence to say this is the best way. There is, however, loads of research into how the fundamentals can be developed in a way that actually makes kids better at football. In this episode we look at that and explain the best way for children of all ages to be taught the basics and how it is time for more coaches (and parents) to see a better way of training junior footballers. Credit to Rob Gray for loads of information on this area. You can listen to the episode of his podcast discussing the study here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/58qIslhHeSajj0b1OSoH1j?si=XlK1o8QYTRSrLHuZmweP3A Join our football classes in Leeds: 5-14 year olds - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/football-sessions 2-4 year old (pre-school football)- https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/3-4-year-old-football-training 121 football coaching - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/1-2-1-coaching School holiday camps - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/school-holidays

Imagine playing professional football then having it all taken away in one moment. Luke Lyons went from grassroots football to academy through to professional. As as a youngster he was highly regarded at Leeds United and was part of the league-winning u18 side that had many players who have since gone onto big things in professional football. He eventually played professional for Airdrieonians FC in the Scottish Championship after a short stint with Bradford Park Avenue. Unfortunately, he had it cruelly taken away from him due to injury and is now coaching the next generation with his time split between coaching at Foot-Tech, Leeds United and Notre Dame College. He sits down with us to tell his story of all the ups and downs along the way. We discuss: The way he sees football going in the future and how we need to develop kids for the future game And much much more. This was such a great chat and there’s loads for parents to take away from it. We hope you enjoy listening.

Easily one of the most common things parents ask us - how can I get my child to tackle? It’s a tough thing to coach in football terms. It can come down to mindset and mentality BUT the good news is there is something parents and coaches can do to help youth players. It’s a little tip that can also be applied to many other areas in football, not just tackling. Have a listen and comment with any questions.

We've learnt a lot about child development and parenting in almost a decade of running Foot-Tech. And we've learnt so much over the last 12 months when we've been going into primary schools to deliver PE. It's been an eye-opener to see some general changes in children which we think are a concern for them now and most certainly in the future. Listen to find out our 2 biggest worries and what parents can do to help.

So many youth footballers are made to play in 1 position which they are then led to believe is 'their' position. Young players miss out on so much football development as a result. Playing in multiple positions helps improve players technically and tactically. Whether you're a coach or a parent listen to find out why this simple thing is so good for the individual player and the team as a whole.

A question we get asked a lot - does my child need to be in a football team? A lot of parents are worried that if they can't get their child into a team then it may hamper their development or they may feel they aren't giving their child the best opportunity to progress. This episode explains why you DO NOT need to worry so long as you're ticking a few other boxes in terms of the things you are providing them with. We look at how, in some cases, joining a team could be detrimental to their enjoyment and development. And we also discuss what to watch out for when joining a team.

In this episode we discuss why winning all the time might not be the best thing for children in football. There’s a fine line between winning as a team and improving as an individual football player. We discuss some of the red-flags to watch out for when picking a team/coach for your player and what might actually be a better option for their development. A must-listen for sport parents. Foot-Tech Academy is a children’s football coaching school in Leeds. For more about what we do visit our website - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk

Looking to help your child become a more confident with their football? In this episode, we'll share four expert tips to help kids of all ages and skill levels improve their game. Listen to understand more about some really simple, easy to do things that we've found to help children improve not just for football but their overall fundamental movement and confidence. For any more advice just drop us a message and don't forget to subscribe to the show.

A question we get asked a lot - what separates an academy footballer from the rest? We've been lucky enough to watch many academy teams both in the UK and abroad. We've also coached players who are in or who have been progressed to a professional academy. Check out this episode if you're interested to know what our thoughts are on the biggest differences based on our own experiences.

Development Centres... What are they? What should you do if your child gets asked to go to one and are they worth it? We discuss it all in this episode of Shouting From The Sidelines. Football Development Centres don't all have great reputations and some are just not worth yours or your child's time. Things are hopefully improving but there are still things that parents needs to be aware of. #If you have any questions after listening to this just drop us a message.

Do you teach them skills? What about ball mastery? These questions seem to be on the rise recently. We think it is down to parents seeing more of those ‘Insta kids’ doing all kinds of flicks & tricks on social media. They then assume that is what a good footballer looks like - most of the time they are wrong. Ball mastery has been around for 20+ years but it has only recently started to creep more into grassroots team football. For some, it is seen as revolutionary. For those in the know (i.e. those who do their research 😉), it is pretty dated and there are much better things that kids can be doing to improve. We’ve spent time at pro-academies recently who have also moved away from it. We were big believers of individual ball mastery and very much used it at our sessions when we first started. But then we realised there was a better way. That’s when we changed to the more street football style approach. In this short episode we discuss: What is ball mastery What it good and bad about it Why we stopped doing it What your child should actually be doing instead

Mike Bates is an ex-Royal Marine and also worked undercover in human intelligence for the MoD where he was an ops leader. Since leaving he has become a successful business owner after opening Gracie Barra Roundhay Leeds, a Jiu Jitsu academy which has seen amazing growth. On top of that he is also about to start the unbelievable challenge of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean (solo) to raise funds for Leeds Children's Hospital. Perhaps his biggest challenge is being a Dad. We sat down to discuss his approach to parenting, how he keeps his two boys motivated and what he's learned from being a parent with children involved in sport. This was one of our favourite conversations with so much to takeaway. You can find out more about Mike and his charity work by visiting: Website https://www.theatlanticgrappler.com/ Instagram https://instagram.com/theatlanticgrappler?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Curtis Bernard signed as a professional footballer with Barnsley when they were in the Premier League. He went on to have a very successful career in the lower leagues and learnt a lot along the way. He is now a parent to two girls who are both involved in different sports. In this episode he shares with us how he has adapted his approach based on what he learned from his playing days and discusses some of the issues he sees with kids' sport. Curtis now runs a bootcamp business based in Leeds aimed at getting children and adults active and healthy. You can find out more about his sessions by visiting https://www.championbootcamps.co.uk/

Football trials can be great experiences IF players are prepared for what to expect. In our latest podcast episode we give our best tips for preparing for trials and how your player can get the best out of the time they have.

Listeners of the podcast will have heard us bang on about the important of exposing children to a wide variety of sports at a young age. We believe there are 3 things that can really help the overall athletic development of a child: We discuss what all this means and the proven benefits. As always, remember to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review.

Did you know that Germany have just completely revamped their approach to grassroots football? They have introduced a lot of new things including adopting a game called Funino. Funino is a game first developed by legendary coach, Horst Wein. The style of game helps to develop junior footballers but also ensures a lot of enjoyment. It is something, along with Horst Wein's other teachings, that we have implemented at our sessions. There is a change coming and we will see a return to street football style games with a focus on development over winning. Listen to find out more about this exciting development in youth football and how it might impact your child.