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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

EJA football

14 replies

mrsconradfisher · 28/05/2023 08:52

DS2 is 12 and a good footballer. He plays for the advanced development centre of a local Cat 1 club and for a grassroots team. He had trials last week to join an EJA team which would mean leaving his grassroots team. I stood and watched all 4 trial sessions. DS is a good player, left footed, great on the ball, vocal and plays on the wing. He played brilliantly, literally did nothing wrong.
And you’ve guessed it, he didn’t get in. He is absolutely gutted and so upset. He has really lacked confidence over the last few months, this was supposed to give him his confidence back as he was “scouted” for the trial at his advanced development centre but it’s done completely the opposite.
Now I’m not sure what to do, try to find another EJA team with a less competitive selection process (there were over 100 boys there) or just let him play grassroots where he really isn’t happy.

OP posts:

weareallout · 29/05/2023 18:55

What's EJA? Anything outside of academies is grassroots

Original poster

mrsconradfisher · 29/05/2023 22:11

weareallout · 29/05/2023 18:55

What's EJA? Anything outside of academies is grassroots

It’s Eastern Junior Alliance League, it’s like Junior Premier League but within a smaller area. Much more selective (trials to get in), higher quality coaching, better ability overall. It’s like a step between grassroots and Academy football but there are scouts at most matches.
He is really unhappy at his current team or I wouldn’t bother looking elsewhere. Definitely not expecting to be the next Messi, just want to enjoy playing at his level rather than what he is doing now.

OP posts:

weareallout · 29/05/2023 23:18

Problem with a lot of those clubs, like JPL is a lot of money & parents constantly looking for a better team

AreYouShittingMe · 30/05/2023 12:27

JPL and grassroots worked for my DS now 15. But the key is finding a team that has a good 'fit' for him, so coaching style and the other team members. A couple of the JPL teams that were an option weren't right. It has meant quite a bit of movement in teams, but it was worth it.
On key to my DS's confidence was finding coaching staff who valued his skills. Every player has a different set of skills which match with a different type of play. It might not be he wasn't good enough, but rather he didn't fit with what they were looking for.
Hope he gets sorted and his confidence returns

Original poster

mrsconradfisher · 30/05/2023 12:59

Problem is we live very rurally so there are no JPL teams anywhere near us. I don’t mind travelling but I can’t find any less than 1.5 hours away.
The coach is the issue in his current grassroots team, they want robots and DS hates it. We’ve found a fab new Saturday team with an amazing coach who loves DS and really believes in him but still not sure whether to stay in his current grassroots team where he is unhappy but guaranteed game time or risk moving to an EJA squad where he’ll be happier but with less game time.

OP posts:

weareallout · 30/05/2023 14:00

You need to go where he's happy

AreYouShittingMe · 30/05/2023 18:42

Personally I would move to where the the coach he prefers is. My son struggled with the idea of less game time, but the positive coaching more than made up for it. We agonised over it for ages, but glad we made the move. He was able to train with the new team for a bit before signing which really helped.
Is there any additional training/ teams he could also get involved in like a soccer skills club or futsal? It might be a consideration if he doesn't like the idea of less game time. One of my sons teammates likes having time in the sidelines to watch the game before coming in. Says it gives him a better understanding of the opposition.

Original poster

mrsconradfisher · 30/05/2023 21:39

AreYouShittingMe · 30/05/2023 18:42

Thank you. He already plays for an Elite Development Centre so gets extra training there. We’ve found him a Saturday team already so this EJA v Grassroots debate is for a Sunday. So he already does play a lot of football, but it’s a huge decision to leave where he has been for years with all his friends to go somewhere completely knew. Hopefully he’ll have some matches to decide one way or another.
He also likes watching the opposition as a sub, problem is the EJA squad would be so big he’d only end up probably playing every other game.

OP posts:

zippyswife · 15/02/2024 21:15

I know this is an old friend but what did you do in the end? I’m a similar position with ds at the minute and considering options.

Original poster

mrsconradfisher · 16/02/2024 17:27

zippyswife · 15/02/2024 21:15

I know this is an old friend but what did you do in the end? I’m a similar position with ds at the minute and considering options.

He stayed at his Sunday grassroots team until just before Christmas. He was incredibly unhappy there, and was just getting 10 mins on the pitch despite being one of the better players (and that’s not just me saying it). He ended up having a trial for a different EJA team and has gone there instead. He is absolutely loving it. Independent coaches rather than parents which has made the world of difference. He is still playing in his Saturday team as well, they are amazing though and I wouldn’t ever take him away from there.

OP posts:

Frailt · 20/09/2024 14:23

To be honest you don’t know what a good player is and I don’t either apparently, only do elite coaches at elite development super duper places do. Ok I’m being sarcastic but honestly football is a game of opinions . One coach might think a player is decent and another not even interested and as for elite coaches forget it. My boy got into a premier league clubs advanced development and the first session was run by two 18-20 year old girls. The boys were mucking about and they had no control and were stopping way more and talking to the boys that my boy lost interest fast .i think the club were using the boys to train their coaches !!! Then the next week an older lad who was just abrupt and no fun took the session and my boy hated it. Under 9s I might add . I’ve done a level 2 course myself but gave up coaching due to idiotic parents and the like. Doing a course doesn’t make you a good coach. Good coaches are like rocking horse shit . It doesn’t matter what fancy name you’re taking your kid too it matters more about who is taking the session. Doing a course and ticking a box means nothing. The secret is the right match for you’re kid and I found the right match in a normal everyday grass roots team. A team united in fun and brotherhood . Kids want to be part of something and not someone’s ego . You will have to shop around.

whiteboardking · 20/09/2024 17:48

@Frailt great post

Newbie3382 · 29/10/2024 15:11

If it helps, the only additional thing you will get from an EJA, or even Development Centres, are potentially non parents running them. They are still the same level of coaching - Level 1 - as grassroots coaches have to complete. I am a secretary for a local team and ironically those grassroots coaches are also written out to regularly to get them to run the DC sessions, etc.

Essentially, if you are paying, it’s not academy football or higher levels of coaching. It is extra. It is potentially less biased. But coaching qualification levels are the same (of course coaches can still be better or worse). Just sharing as I always find parents don’t fully understand that they are not ‘academies’ and they really are just extra paid sessions. I also think it’s important to know when money is involved. Essentially is the model is clubs run these Development Centres (sometimes in two tiers like ADC and then Elites) to fund (and provide a rare pathway) to their Academy teams which have the best equipment and coaching that is fully funded by the club (as they want the talent at this point).

In terms of the original poster, sounds like the problem isn’t an EJA (which is just a cluster of leagues) but the grassroots team he was in. He should ALWAYS enjoy playing with his team mates and coaches above everything.

Frailt · 30/10/2024 08:28

Ok so I’m going to update on my recent experience, my DS went to Brentford and qpr development. Brentford was awful and we think they used the kids to train up their coaches . Most were young and inexperienced. QPR coaches were better but the standard of the other players was no better than average grass roots except maybe 2 or 3 players. Qpr where unsure about my boy and wanted to see him a few more times when other boys that I thought were average got in straight away . My boy said if they are not sure then I don’t want to go back. I was proud of him for this . Maybe I’m being biased but 2 weeks later at a grass roots match my boy got scouted by Chelsea and invited to a ID 6 week stint . After qpr and Brentford I saw a decline in his football and more so him being not so happy. We are now focusing on his grassroots team where he is happy and with friends and he has said he doesn’t want to go to try at Chelsea . He’s 8 and has plenty of time and feel that if it will happen it will happen and around 11 if he wants to would be a better age . I’m proud for his decisions and he is playing the best he’s played for a long time .

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