You’ve found a football session that fits the diary. The facilities look good, the coach seems friendly and your child knows someone there. But how do you know whether it’s somewhere they’ll enjoy themselves, build confidence and develop? Smart kit, complicated drills and a coach giving constant instructions can look impressive. To get a better picture, watch what the children actually experience. Here are my nine things to look for. 1. A welcome that feels personal Does the

When Harry Kane accepted the Ballon d’Or, something he said to his parents stod out to me : “There was never any pressure from you to become a footballer. It was always about working hard.” With another weekend of children’s football approaching, I think there is something reassuring in those words. Parents often wonder whether they are doing enough. Should their child train more? Join a stronger team? Do they need a bit more encouragement to reach their potential? Kane’s par

You watch your child’s first 3v3 game. Six children, a small pitch, small goals. And a quiet thought arrives: is this enough? Shouldn’t they be playing something closer to the full game? It’s an understandable question. You want your child to develop, and you don’t want them missing out. There’s a familiar view in youth football that moving to bigger pitches and more players means moving forward. A game that looks more like adult football can feel like a sign of progress. But

Your child gets into the car after football. What do you say? Do you ask whether they enjoyed it? Talk about the score? Mention the goal they scored, the tackle they missed or the moment they could have passed? Perhaps you wait for them to speak. Perhaps you wonder whether you should say anything at all. And who else is listening? A brother or sister? Another parent? A teammate getting a lift home? It sounds like a simple conversation. But when you care about your child, want

“Try not to just kick it!” — helping children make their own decisions When the ball arrives at your child’s feet, what happens next? Do they kick it away immediately, or do they take a moment to decide what they want to do? At Soccer Shooters, we want children to discover that they have choices. From our youngest players to our oldest, we use a simple mantra: “Try not to just kick it.” But we have to be careful. If we want children to make their own decisions, simply tellin

The Netflix series 'Adolescence' has sparked a powerful conversation, and rightly so. It's a gripping drama that delves into the...

Well the answer to that question is set to change, with a huge announcement last week by the English Football Association! The FA, the...

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We have all seen Englands Jack Grealish with his socks rolled down and appearing to not wear shin pads, but sorry to break the news to...

Last year we told you about a new ‘Rookie coach’ programme we were starting, the idea of this initiative was to engage older children and...

I hope everyone is baring up as best as possible during the lock-down, of course it’s clear for all to see, that children are chomping at...

For us football coaches Christmas can be a bittersweet time of year, its wonderful seeing all the children get in the Christmas spirit,...

Reflecting on a summer of managing our Fundays, I can think of so many different positives. We have had hundreds of boys and girls enjoy...

Did you know Futsal is the fastest growing participation sport in the world? Futbol de salao as its known in its full term, basically...

Soccer Shooters are experienced in running holiday clubs, from the ages of 5 through to 12. Kids have been come to us during holidays for...