If you’re a parent or guardian located in the Hawkesbury area (or nearby!), searching out coaching for your child in football you’ve come to the right place.
Whether you’re new to the game or you played yourself this page is designed to help.
Currently, the Australian football grassroots (i.e. U18 and below) landscape is a volunteer-centric one. As a community, we look to adult volunteers to surrender what limited free time they have, to fill the many ranks of coaches needed for our young children enrolling in competition teams for the duration of their youth playing experience.
Whilst admirable, this model has its cavities. One of these is what I refer to as the “coach’s lottery.” When signed up to a local team the first question is always: Is my child’s coach a volunteer parent who knows what they are doing and what is expected of them as a coach.. or... is it a ‘draw-the-short-straw’ type of environment where no parent has any experience and no one is confident to coach.
Meanwhile, time goes by. Your child has been signed up to engage in the experience of committing to a team, whilst that team is meant to reciprocate that commitment through developing your child as an individual and as a proper player within the team.
This is not happening for your child. You recognise your child’s time could be invested other ways. Time is already running out, especially if ambition to play at higher levels begins to express itself in the player.
We interpret Foot and Ball Academy as an alternative playing + training environment for players currently registered in the association/grassroots system. We offer an internal infrastructure that caters to the players development in a far more focused way. We believe our unique sessions should be the main weekday footballing (only) priority in your player’s life (should all parties agree after a trial).
The Academy has coached 100+ players so far in its nearly three years of existence and through this an ‘ideal’ Academy recruit has emerged.
A child that is keen, engaged, and most importantly highly interested in the game of football.
We find the bulk of our customers are parents and players who have grown discontent with the 'coach’s lottery' and wish to enrol in an environment that guarantees problem-solving and proper learning, whilst replicating an intensity and hardwork... consistently.
Any player who joins us is expected to be polite, demonstrate humility, be hardworking, humble, and happy to be with us.
“Tough but fair.” This is the term that has been mentioned a couple of times by current members of our Academy. The Academy playing environment is very different from the broader Australian landscape. A key point of difference we wish to highlight.
“Tough” – As mentioned above, we expect 100% effort and concentration from every player for the duration of training. Discipline is key. Obvious exceptions include injury and illness. We forbid clearances of any kind. “Just boot it” or “get it out of there” are terms for the birds! Not our players at any time!
We forbid game management and in-game time wasting of any kind. i.e. letting the ball intentionally roll out to secure a goal kick or corner or throw in. Keep the ball in play!
We challenge the player in multiple different areas/positions on the field.
“Fair” - There is no winning or losing.
In brief, we strongly advocate for the argument that performance-based outcomes is an adult concept and should not be introduced to players before ~U15’s. As such, players that attend this Academy count no scorelines, receive no ranks, there are no leagues, ladders, “tournaments” or trophies.
Mistakes are encouraged, not condemned. There is a desire to see errors on the ball from players.
We constantly push the player to take risks on the ball and improve. Kids want to play! They want adults to support that.
Patience. The development demands we place on players are long term i.e. months and years. Not seasons.
Finally, we place our own high expectations on session design. We expect our sessions to have very little down-time, maximum engagement and a necessary level of variability in session exercises, keeping things interesting for all players involved.
Do not coach your child while they attend the Academy.
Your primary task is to ensure they are happy and safe. This does not extend into the realm of making in-game decisions on their behalf.
Any concerns with the coaching environment are to be raised with the coaching staff outside of coaching hours.
We are an Academy NOT “extra coaching.” We teach in a curriculum style, covering everything the volunteer system leaves to chance. If your child is thriving here, we ask you make the Academy the priority in their extracurricular life. i.e. prioritize attending our session multiple times per week over all other sporting commitments after school hours. (That is ‘ask’ we do not demand).
They must reintegrate back into the system at some point, anyway. We hope that is at a higher level based on their improvement.
We have operated across several fields in the Hawkesbury area e.g. Benson’s Lane, Richmond Oval, McQuade Park, Windsor, etc We are constantly moved. However, it is always very local.
For our latest locations and times, best to check our Facebook page or call Nick on 0452 583 279.
If you get to this point and interested, call Nick on 0452 583 279.
Two sessions a week is highly recommended at this Academy. Not too little, not too much.