Page 2 | Football academies - any experience?

StripesandSpaniels · 18/02/2024 17:30

My son was scouted at his grass roots club - also played JPL. He did a 6 week trial and was signed, trains 2 evenings a week for 2 hours a time plus 2 hours on a Saturday morning and matches on Sunday. It’s a bigger commitment than JPL. We are based in the SW but most matches are London or south east so at least 2 hours travelling time. The boys travel together on a coach but we often go so most of our weekends are taken up with it whereas JPL was just a Saturday. He enjoys it but we’re aware it’ll come to an end, I found his JPL club more of a supportive atmosphere.

Original poster

Ilikeviognier · 18/02/2024 17:32

@StripesandSpaniels Thankyou - are you glad you took the decision for him to join?

OP posts:

mitogoshi · 18/02/2024 17:35

Remember even if he gets dropped at professional level, plenty of people play football semipro or amateur. Our local team is semi pro and several players did premier league academy, they mostly work day jobs in trades (ones my go to carpenter!)

loobylou10 · 18/02/2024 17:36

My advice - don't do it! We did it twice, gave up holidays to get to games, training, matches. It took over our lives - 2 boys in different age groups going in different directions every Sunday took over our lives. One boy got to 16's then released in a 30 minute meeting, one boy got to 13's then released. Eldest son was broken for a while. Don't do it, they don't care.

StripesandSpaniels · 18/02/2024 18:10

Ilikeviognier · 18/02/2024 17:32

@StripesandSpaniels Thankyou - are you glad you took the decision for him to join?

For me no. For him and my husband they would say yes. It’s been a great experience and he’s grown a lot doing it but balancing it with school work is hard. I wouldn’t have stopped him giving it a go though. Good luck.

giraffesaregreat · 18/02/2024 18:23

My son was an academy player from age 9 to 16 and was then released. It was a huge time commitment and really hard work but he still says he's pleased he did it. He was released at 16 which he found very difficult, but I think it helped that we weren't really a footballing family - wasn't living his dad's dream and we didn't go on about how he was going to be a professional player, although always supported him and were really proud of his hard work and commitment.

It did impact his school work a bit, as being busy 3 evenings a week and at least one day at weekend, plus all the travelling was tiring. It was also a huge effort for me and his dad to take him everywhere as well as look after our other children.

He is now 20, played with his friends and then a high level U18 team after leaving the academy, and is now studying in the US on a soccer scholarship. I am so pleased and proud of him. He got a good work ethic from the academy football and is a very stylish player.

If you do go ahead, then my advice would be to make the most of the fantastic training offered and the fun of going to premier league training grounds that most people don't get to see. Encourage him not to be boastful about his abilities or skills but to enjoy playing with friends at school and encouraging their efforts too, whatever level they play at. Above all, don't place his whole self worth on his football abilities - it is only one part of who he is, so if his whole life success is predicated on 'making it' as a pro then it's probably not going to work out. Academy football can be great if you see it as a stepping stone to other things.

Time2Run · 18/02/2024 20:01

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

Original poster

Ilikeviognier · 18/02/2024 20:18

@Time2Run yes I agree. Back up plan absolutely essential and a dose of reality around the stats on who makes it - but of course someone has to and it would be wrong to not let him experience it at least.

OP posts:

Butterfly212 · 08/08/2024 14:54

Ilikeviognier · 17/02/2024 15:30

Just just really. DS9 has had interest from more than one premier league club - one in particular is making noises about him joining their ET squad with a view to being signed for the academy. Obviously it’s a great achievement in and of itself but am worried about the brutality of it all in terms of being potentially dropped at any given second if it it does happen.

I realise I’m way ahead of myself here but I can’t help it as my first instinct is to protect him….just looking for others” experiences.

thanks.

My son plays for an academy and he loves it the coaching is amazing.

Newbie3382 · 29/10/2024 15:48

I think you should try and find how likely it will be for him to get to the Academy. If you mean ET then that is a bit of a red flag to me. Usually Elite Training Centres are a fancy name for a next level up Development Centre. They are run by club but you have to pay. It is essentially extra coaching (still by the same level often as grassroots) that you are paying for and a potential pathway. However, my experience of being around one of those is that very few make it to the academy from there as the best go straight into the academy straightaway after a trial. The ETs will sometimes play friendlies with the Academy teams which can help for scouting. But they are often levels apart as the Academy Teams have higher coaching levels, better facilities, train more, etc.

Its a great opportunity if you can make it into an Academy (albeit you do need to prepare to not be in the 1% that make it) but I basically see a lot of parents paying for extra training and talking about academy football when it isn’t. I think it’s important to know that a) to manage expectations and b) manage money! Clubs run it like this to essentially fund the actual academy which you don’t pay for…

Loopytiles · 30/10/2024 06:56

on ‘back up plan’, given the low odds of reaching the professional game the ‘back up plan’ is actually a ‘plan A’ / near certainty but with v little time / energy available for it.

RollerSkateLikePeggy · 30/10/2024 07:05

I've known of two boys, completely different areas in academies, one went to at least three different high level ones. I've been told that there was a lot of bullying, so I would not do it unless your son is very mentally strong and I'd talk regularly about it with them. I don't know how much access you get to the coaches but it may be worth trying to talk to them to get a feel for what they are like.

girlsyearapart · 30/10/2024 07:06

My son also went to an academy and it’s worth it just for the amazing training - and to see the other boys.
We were quite used to him being the best on the pitch and it really opened all of our eyes!
He was only young I think 7 when he was scouted and went for about 6 months or maybe more then covid came and that was that
I think he’d find the rejection harder as an older child

whiteboardking · 30/11/2024 22:07

@Ilikeviognier how did he get on?

XelaM · 04/12/2024 18:53

My nephew is an academy player and it's a brilliant opportunity! I would absolutely go for it.

One boy from my daughter's school went from academy player to the Premier League recently!

XelaM · 05/12/2024 10:12

Ethan Nwaneri is the player btw.

thiccapricot · 12/12/2024 07:55

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Resilienceisimportant · 21/12/2024 01:04

Parky04 · 18/02/2024 11:46

Please bear in mind that it will take up an awful lot of your time. Training twice a week and then match days where you could be travelling up to a couple of hours away.

Three times a week for my son and travelling if I go to the games as otherwise he can get the coach.

Honestly take the chance if you can but in hindsight 9 is too young unless your kid is mentally strong and resilient. I know kids who have been released and it wrecked them - at 10!

It’s a business and very professional. Constant assessments - after games, training, school grades, attitude, growth expectations, objectives, psychological etc.

The most important thing I can say is go into it with the right mindset- great opportunity and experience but if it all ends tomorrow it isn’t your kids life and they have other things.

Puberty has a lot to answer for and plays a big part. Your kid may be really good but so are others and they might be six inches taller for example.

My son loves it and watching your kid do what he loves is the best feeling in the world. But he has to be really committed.

Good luck!

Resilienceisimportant · 21/12/2024 01:05

Newbie3382 · 29/10/2024 15:48

I think you should try and find how likely it will be for him to get to the Academy. If you mean ET then that is a bit of a red flag to me. Usually Elite Training Centres are a fancy name for a next level up Development Centre. They are run by club but you have to pay. It is essentially extra coaching (still by the same level often as grassroots) that you are paying for and a potential pathway. However, my experience of being around one of those is that very few make it to the academy from there as the best go straight into the academy straightaway after a trial. The ETs will sometimes play friendlies with the Academy teams which can help for scouting. But they are often levels apart as the Academy Teams have higher coaching levels, better facilities, train more, etc.

Its a great opportunity if you can make it into an Academy (albeit you do need to prepare to not be in the 1% that make it) but I basically see a lot of parents paying for extra training and talking about academy football when it isn’t. I think it’s important to know that a) to manage expectations and b) manage money! Clubs run it like this to essentially fund the actual academy which you don’t pay for…

Edited

Couldn’t agree more. If you are paying then you haven’t been signed. Those centres are just money makers.

KattyDTR · 21/11/2025 13:37

My son was in a similar setup, and I totally relate to the weird mix of pressure and excitement. One thing that helped us get a better feel for how things work long-term was reading parent and pro player insights on https://www.lagradaonline.com/. It gave us a broader view beyond just what local coaches were saying. Keeping his confidence up and managing expectations were big parts of the journey for us.