7rd old fucking football

[footballfckers]

I just wrote out a whole post and then accidentally deleted it.

Really pissed off about football for seven-year-olds and really upset. I am not a person who cries but today I cried. I had a cal from a private sports club who run football training once a week. My son who is 7 was having a 3 week taster and they called today to say he isn't good enough abs can't come back. I am so upset for him. He is such a sensitive little boy who just wants to play and learn.

He plays in a small after school club once a week but can't get him into the village football club either. To get in the village club it seems to be either who you know or sending a WhatsApp at the right moment. My husband has offered to do the Coaching qualifications and now I am thinking maybe we need to make a 'donation'.

He was offered a space in November but was having eye surgery so I asked if he could come in Jan. Tbey said yes and then ghosted me in January.

I don't want to be 'that' parent but my 7yr old needs someone to speak for him and sort these things out. He just wants to play football with his friends.

It's fucking ridiculous.

Christ this is nuts and makes me dread my toddler getting older. I have no useful advice but I'm sorry it's so hard. Are there no 'just for fun' groups around?!

YANBU. Rejection hurts. It's an inevitable part of trying to get into clubs targeted at high performers, but it shouldn't be this hard to get a place in a 'just play and learn' sort of club at seven years old FFS. (V different to my experience on that point, but I live in a city which might make all the difference - kids' football on every corner of every park and sports centre all weekend long...)

@HeyItsPickleRick get them signed up to the local football club asap! And beavers asap!

It's a mine field

@NellWilsonsWhiteHair We have also messaged all the other football clubs in the area and none have any space

I think this level of competitive behaviour at age 7 is madness. Would you even want him to be under that pressure?

Could you just encourage a different hobby?

He swims and plays a fun cricket session as well. Al his school friends are in the football club and he is about to move schools so I am keen to keep his friendships.

Waiting list for 6+months for beavers as well

Forget about trying to get a doctors appointment, the real problem in this Country is getting into footballl club or beavers 🦫

I took mine to a football club around that age and realised that even though both of his parents were pretty decent when younger, it wasn’t for him. I took him out before he we were asked to do so.

If he’s very keen to play, I’m sure you’ll find one that will be the place for him. I think it’s better for them to tell you this now than for him to be there, feeling ‘inferior’ if he’s that far behind.

Football is a whole other experience from most other sports - I had no idea how hard it would be to find a team for ds, or how early some of the teams would become SO competitive. My experience is that there is a real gap for supportive, inclusive, easy to join teams. But it does rely very heavily on parent volunteers.

I think that's a real shame. Not every one wants to be a professional footballer. Some kids just want the opportunity to play, have fun and be active. People are always moaning about kids not being active enough, and obesity levels etc, and this is how they are treated? I think it's disgusting to not include a 7 year old, and I would be writing in if it were me. I hope that you find an inclusive football club for him.

I have been lucky where we live, as my ds has learning difficulties and dyspraxia. I'm not expecting him to compete in the Olympics, but he just wanted to play football and have fun. I emailed a local club, and at first they emailed back saying they didn't have anything suitable for him. Luckily they emailed again and changed their minds, and now he plays with other kids every week. The coaches are amazing, and the session is free.

Luckily they have sessions for adults with disabilities, and they're hoping to start a youth session soon.

My sons club is big enough to have more than one team for every age group, one competitive and one mixed ability social/development team. especially If your husband is prepared to volunteer would one of your local clubs be more open to an idea like this? Its all about man power unfortunately there are never enough parents coming forward.

For all the people slating the club, if your child is on a team would you prefer them to actually be a team, or accept anyone who wants to join and your child getting to play maybe once every 3/4 weeks? Clubs are dammed if they do and dammed if they don't, unfortunately.

I feel your pain.

My son is 14 and has loved football from a young age. He was also born with bilateral talipes (clubfeet). He has had various treatments since he was 5 weeks old and is currently waiting to have surgery on his left calf.

Things weren't too bad when he was younger as football was treated as fun but as soon he got to secondary school it all became very serious.

He would never get picked to play in matches as he wasn't good enough. He's not as fast as others due to his condition. But also, it was a case of who you know at the club as to whether you got picked.

Last year we found him a new club that has welcomed him with open arms. We were upfront about his condition but the coach said it was of no consequence and everyone on the squad gets the same opportunity to play. He regularly gets picked and it's helped his confidence, mental health and physical health no end.

It's seemingly a club which is based on competition and performance and it's probably better to find out now if he isn't going to be up to standard.

It seems your area is lacking inclusive activities and you may have to consider setting something up yourself. I do hope you manage to get some provision for your son.

What is most frustrating is that we don't know he doesn't have the skill to play as he can't get the opportunity to play anywhere. If he can't train, he can't improve. Just ping round in circles really

We're an active family, but not really into team sports. DS2 loves football though and is in a football orientated class and "needs" it socially. He's in the periphery of a club, he trains with them and plays friendlies, but isn't a regular for the team. When they went up to u9s it looked like there would be the space to play regularly and he was an appropriate standard, but they then gained a few better players dropping down from academies and more competitive clubs. I keep him in the periphery because many friends are in the club and the training works for us. Maybe in the long term, others will drop out and spaces will open...
It's harsh and its a cut-throat sport from very early on and we seemed to miss a window.

DS2 is OK with the current situation, but not ideal. He also does other sports and activities and that's important too because there is more than one sport and some of his other ones are logistically easier as sports for life. I don't want too much commitment to football anyway, I just want him to train and play.

Every time the Olympics comes round we get the navel gazing - why, oh why, don’t more people participate in sport. This is why. This is exactly why. This and school PE teachers. You’re right, OP - it is ridiculous.

have you asked his local football club if he can train with them but not be signed up to the team until they get a space. Football teams are limited to how many kids they can sign up to each team as part of the squad. Its not ideal but not the football teams fault. My son is 9 and for his age group alone there are 6 teams, and still a waiting list of kids who want to join.

Can you just turn up to the pitch on an evening the under 7s are training and see what the story is and who to talk to in person?
For a village club it seems mad that they aren't taking kids on.

To many children not enough volunteers to run things. The one who said yes then ghosted you sounds like a possible mix up or a space may come free eg if he’s gone to back of wait list I’d try them again.
School holiday football camps are available. Childcare and would let him develop skills.

God this is depressing. My 6 year old plays rugby and it's quite 'serious' (it's at quite a good club locally) but some of the primary school kids are on their own planet most of the time and still get to train and play. Whether they make the team down the line is a different matter but that's not what it's about when they are little.

My other son plays football and they let anyone (who pays...) play. Hes absolutely useless, god love him, he prefers dancing and so is generally pirouetting around rather than playing, but they still let him play.

We live in an area with lots of availability of activities though and everything is really inclusive that we have tried. What a disappointment for your son, I feel for him.

@Dixiechickonhols the school holiday camp is the same
Company that just kicked him out of Thursday evening skills session.

@Monkeybutt1 we have asked and get half answers if 'let's see and I will take a look and let you know, maybe ' etc

Is that the only one locally or may be different criteria for the day holiday childcare one - I’d check.
The childcare ones near us are no prior experience it’s just childcare with a theme eg dancing, gymnastics etc.

Aren't there any other clubs outside of the village? We don't live in a huge area but each little village seems to have at least one team for most age groups. There's quite a lot of movement as they get older too as children move on to secondary and want to switch teams to be with new friends.

It's a shitty attitude to have at that age. There are a few u7/8/9 teams locally who ask for "players with experience" when looking for new players. It's madness and they should all be able to play at the age if they want to

@Dixiechickonhols there is another holiday club that he goes to but it isn't sport focused.