Blog for parents of young athletes

We are always looking for top soccer training tips and advice for young players. After all, it is our quest to help budding players, parents and coaches to understand the many challenges they may face on the road to becoming a professional.For our latest words of wisdom we turned to Aaron Conniff-Broome, Head Coach at ACB Football Coaching. Aaron is currently an FA Level 2 and FA Youth Module 3…

Spain have produced some of the best football players in history but it has only been in recent years that they have enjoyed regular success at international level.The Spain national football team was considered the best in the world between 2008 and 2012 when they won two European Championships and a FIFA World Cup. They began that era under Coach Luis Aragonés and ended it under the guidance of Vicente…

IF YOU LOVE TENNIS AND ARE SERIOUS ABOUT IMPROVING YOUR GAME, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT!Our ultimate tennis equipment list will help you to assess whether your current gear is suitable and what essential items you need to add to your kit bag.You can also use this list to give you an idea what you should…

In our previous interviews, we have gained some great insight into youth coaching from the perspective of coaches at many different levels and ex-players who have gone into coaching later in their careers.But what is it like for a young player today taking their first steps on the road to becoming a professional footballer? How are they treated by the top youth soccer academies? And…

TO BECOME A BETTER TENNIS PLAYER, YOU NEED TO GET THE BASICS RIGHT, AND THAT’S WHERE A TENNIS BALL MACHINE COULD COME TO YOUR AID.If you are an aspiring young tennis player, you need to learn how to strike the ball well on a consistent basis. And if you want to compete at a high level, it is also vital that you…

Football fans from England are used to the fairly simple relegation and play-off system that exists across the top four tiers of the football league. But when it comes to understanding the Spanish football league system, things can get a bit more complicated.This is because the third and fourth tiers of Spanish football feature over 440 teams and are divided into many regional groups.…

For advanced/elite soccer players (boys only) from 16 to 21 years old who want to spend one to six weeks of the school year training alongside full-time academy students at the oldest private soccer academy in the UK.Table of contentsOverview 1Program options 2Training 3Coaches 4Language classes 5Camp schedule 6Accommodation 7Safety 8Prices and dates 9Our advice 10Sign up 11Are you interested…

For advanced/elite soccer players (boys and girls) from 6 to 21 years old who want to spend one to six weeks of the school year training alongside full-time academy students at one of the best soccer academies in Europe. Intensive Winter Soccer Programs also serve as try-outs for the academy’s full-time programs.Table of contentsOverview 1Program options 2Training 3Coaches 4Camp schedule…

The FIFA World Cup is watched by over 3 billion people and provides the biggest stage of all for the world’s best footballers. However, for a variety of reasons, some of the elite players never get a chance to take part in the greatest soccer show on earth. Here are 13 of the best:Alberto SpencerThe Ecuadorian striker known as “magic head” was great with…

Superstitions are commonplace in football. Plenty of players, coaches and fans strive to achieve some kind of spiritual sanctuary before a game by performing various bizarre rituals.Here is a rundown of the 20 funniest soccer superstitions.Real MadridWhen Real Madrid re-located to their new stadium in 1912, they did not win a trophy for 5 years. To break the “curse,” they took the unusual step…