Shouting From The Sidelines (Luke Towning)

Glen Thurgood is an expert in making people faster and stronger. He has worked in professional football and rugby and was part of the backroom team when Northampton FC beat Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup. Glen shares his knowledge and explains why all children need to be doing some sort of speed and mobility training to help them in sport and every day life.

'I would like to live in a healthier, happier world and I believe in using the power of sport to positively drive the changes to make this a reality.' - Jordan Liburd.

We sat down with our very own Jordan Liburd who has the very unique experience of running a grassroots team, being on a club committee, coaching at Foot-Tech, refereeing and also undertaking leadership roles within the FA.

On top of that he also works in biomedical research...a very busy man!

He's been there and done it when it comes to grassroots football and he talks openly about the ups, downs and everything in-between.

This is a good one for football parents to really understand the amount of effort that goes into running a junior team and for grassroots coaches to take some ideas on how to create the right environment for your players.

In this episode we discuss why winning all the time might not be the best thing for children in football. There’s a fine line between winning as a team and improving as an individual football player.

We discuss some of the red-flags to watch out for when picking a team/coach for your player and what might actually be a better option for their development. A must-listen for sport parents.

Foot-Tech Academy is a children’s football coaching school in Leeds. 

For more about what we do visit our website - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk

Ever wondered why some young footballers stop improving?

Well, you're about to find out!

In today's episode we unravel the top 4 reasons why some young footballers excel while others seem to hit a plateau.

Through years of coaching experience and countless interactions with young players, we've identified key areas where attention is needed.

But, have you ever asked yourself if your child is truly enjoying their football journey, or if they're in the right environment that nurtures their growth?

From discussing the critical importance of adequate training frequency to the nuanced dynamics of coaching quality and environment fit, we delve deep into youth football development.

This conversation isn't just about identifying areas for improvement; it's about actionable insights.

How can you, as a parent or coach, facilitate a more enriching footballing experience for your child?

Is it through embracing more playtime in the park with friends, or perhaps seeking out football camps that offer intensive skill honing?

We also tackle the often-overlooked aspect of personal desire and enjoyment in football. It's a candid exploration of what truly motivates young players and how this understanding can radically transform their developmental trajectory.

Plus, we share practical applications, like specific drills and strategies, to immediately elevate training sessions.

Whether you're a coach looking to refine your approach or a parent aiming to support your child's football aspirations, this video is packed with valuable takeaways.In our community, we believe in the power of shared knowledge and experiences.

So, we'd love to hear your thoughts and stories. How have you navigated the challenges of youth football development? What strategies have worked for you?

Drop your insights in the comments below, and let's learn from each other.

For more rich discussions and expert advice on football training, coaching, and youth development, make sure to subscribe to our channel.

And don't forget to visit the Foot-Tech Academy website for detailed information on our classes, coaching philosophy, and upcoming football camps

Foot-Tech Academy is a children’s football coaching school in Leeds. 

For more about what we do visit our website - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk

Join our football classes in Leeds:

5-14 year olds - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/football-sessions

2-4 year old (pre-school football) - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/3-4-year-old-football-training

121 football coaching - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/1-2-1-coaching 

School holiday camps - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/school-holidays

Are agility ladders and hurdles really making your child or players faster on the pitch?

For Football Parents & Coaches - whether you're coaching a team or supporting your child’s football journey, these insights will help you maximize their development.

In this episode, we break down why traditional speed drills don’t translate to real football movement and what you should be doing instead.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why agility ladders & hurdles don’t improve true football speed
• The difference between quick feet & real agility in match situations
• What science says about reaction-based training vs. rehearsed drills
• Better ways to train speed & agility for young footballers
• How to help your child or players move faster & smarter in real games

Do you teach them skills?

What about ball mastery?

These questions seem to be on the rise recently.

We think it is down to parents seeing more of those ‘Insta kids’ doing all kinds of flicks & tricks on social media.

They then assume that is what a good footballer looks like - most of the time they are wrong.

Ball mastery has been around for 20+ years but it has only recently started to creep more into grassroots team football.

For some, it is seen as revolutionary.

For those in the know (i.e. those who do their research 😉), it is pretty dated and there are much better things that kids can be doing to improve.

We’ve spent time at pro-academies recently who have also moved away from it.

We were big believers of individual ball mastery and very much used it at our sessions when we first started.

But then we realised there was a better way. That’s when we changed to the more street football style approach.

In this short episode we discuss:

What is ball mastery

What it good and bad about it

Why we stopped doing it

What your child should actually be doing instead

A question we get asked a lot - what separates an academy footballer from the rest?  

We've been lucky enough to watch many academy teams both in the UK and abroad.  

We've also coached players who are in or who have been progressed to a professional academy.  

Check out this episode if you're interested to know what our thoughts are on the biggest differences based on our own experiences.

Life is generally quite stressful.  

A parents life can be even more stressful!  

Now we are seeing that kids are also becoming increasingly stressed-out with with everything from school to sports.  

We sat down with Sophia Taylor from Apollo Nutrition who is an expert in all things mental-health, nutrition and stress management.  

She shares with us some great tips on how we can all manage stress to make our lives that little bit easier and also help our children along the way.

We recently spent a week in Portugal on an FC Evolution coaching course.

It’s the second FCE course we’ve done and it once again did not disappoint.

This time we had the added bonus of being able to watch and analyse training sessions with Braga’s u15’s delivered by Raymond Verheijen (ex Holland, South Korea, Chelsea, Man City & Barca coach).

We learnt loads on this course.

In this episode we talk through some of key takeaways that really stood out and that football-parents and coaches will be interested to hear.

Listeners of the podcast will have heard us bang on about the important of exposing children to a wide variety of sports at a young age.

We believe there are 3 things that can really help the overall athletic development of a child:

• A chosen sport
• A donor sport
• Play

We discuss what all this means and the proven benefits.

As always, remember to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review.

So many youth footballers are made to play in 1 position which they are then led to believe is 'their' position. Young players miss out on so much football development as a result. Playing in multiple positions helps improve players technically and tactically. Whether you're a coach or a parent listen to find out why this simple thing is so good for the individual player and the team as a whole.

Spend 10 mins at any junior football match and we all but guarantee you'll hear one of old cliché football phrases shouted from the sidelines.

But a lot of what is being said is of little use and, if anything, does more harm than good when it comes to the football development of children.

What are the things we should avoid?

And what should you be shouting, if shouting anything at all?

Listen now to find out.

What do sports superstars like Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, Zlatan Ibrahimovic & Tom Brady all have in common?

You'd be right if you said they are all leaders in their chosen sports but...

Did you know they all credit playing a variety of sports as a child as a reason for their high level of ability in their chosen sport?

This is something we have been researching and looking into for a number of years and the info suggests that kids who are exposed to a variety of sports tend to do better both in sport generally and in their chosen sport.

Why? How? And what can you do to help your child? 

We discuss all of this in this episode.

Don't forget to review us and let us know what you think.

As always, thanks for listening.

What can we say about John Farnworth? He is a prime example of what happens when you focus on consistent practise and hard work. John lived his dream of becoming a freestyle football world champion and has since gone on to be the host of Match Of The Day Kickabout (amongst other TV appearances) and has also broke several world records including juggling a ball across the Sahara Desert, up Mount Everest and across the largest frozen lake in the world! Above anything else he is a humble guy who loves helping children fall in love with sport.  On this episode of Shouting From The Sidelines he talks through how he approaches his practise, how his parents helped him and tells us who he thinks is the best player he has ever met.

Easily one of the most common things parents ask us - how can I get my child to tackle? It’s a tough thing to coach in football terms. It can come down to mindset and mentality BUT the good news is there is something parents and coaches can do to help youth players. It’s a little tip that can also be applied to many other areas in football, not just tackling. Have a listen and comment with any questions.

Curtis Bernard signed as a professional footballer with Barnsley when they were in the Premier League.

He went on to have a very successful career in the lower leagues and learnt a lot along the way.

He is now a parent to two girls who are both involved in different sports. In this episode he shares with us how he has adapted his approach based on what he learned from his playing days and discusses some of the issues he sees with kids' sport.

Curtis now runs a bootcamp business based in Leeds aimed at getting children and adults active and healthy.

You can find out more about his sessions by visiting https://www.championbootcamps.co.uk/

Development Centres...

What are they? What should you do if your child gets asked to go to one and are they worth it?  

We discuss it all in this episode of Shouting From The Sidelines.  

Football Development Centres don't all have great reputations and some are just not worth yours or your child's time.  

Things are hopefully improving but there are still things that parents needs to be aware of.  

#If you have any questions after listening to this just drop us a message.

Becoming a Black Belt means more than just fancy kicks and punches.

It's about a journey of building confidence, perseverance, resilience and character.

It doesn't just apply to martial arts, either.

Creating this mentality in our children will help them now and in the future. But how do we do it?

We chat to Ricky Lam, a martial arts expert and owner of Premier Martial Arts, who has trained 100's of black belts and met 1000's of parents and children along the way.

He tells us what separates the black belt children and parents from those who don't make it plus what parents can do to help their children build the habits needed to have a growth mindset.

Andy Barker has had the unique experience of many years in the dressing room of the one of the best Rugby League sides of all time, The Leeds Rhino's.   Andy was head physio during their greatest-ever period of success and has worked with some of the biggest names in the sport. He now works with the FA helping the international England teams from u15 to u20.   He has some fascinating insights into elite level sport and what it takes to get there.  He also talks about how kids can best help themselves reach those levels, injury prevention for children and much more.

We've learnt a lot about child development and parenting in almost a decade of running Foot-Tech.

And we've learnt so much over the last 12 months when we've been going into primary schools to deliver PE.

It's been an eye-opener to see some general changes in children which we think are a concern for them now and most certainly in the future.

Listen to find out our 2 biggest worries and what parents can do to help.

Resilience is one of the most important things for our children.

It will help them in and out of sport and there are ways we as parents can help.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why you don’t need to worry about your child catching up at school
• Why comfort zones are so bad for children
• Tips you can use to help grow a more positive mindset for your child (and you)

Imagine playing professional football then having it all taken away in one moment.

Luke Lyons went from grassroots football to academy through to professional.

As as a youngster he was highly regarded at Leeds United and was part of the league-winning u18 side that had many players who have since gone onto big things in professional football.

He eventually played professional for Airdrieonians FC in the Scottish Championship after a short stint with Bradford Park Avenue.

Unfortunately, he had it cruelly taken away from him due to injury and is now coaching the next generation with his time split between coaching at Foot-Tech, Leeds United and Notre Dame College.

He sits down with us to tell his story of all the ups and downs along the way.

We discuss:

• Why junior footballers DO NOT need to be in academies at 5 years old to make it (he is proof of this)

• Why joining a grassroots team later in Primary School actually helped him

• How playing street football (even when in the academy system) massively helped his development

• What he wishes he’d have done differently when playing for Leeds United Academy

• The difference he sees with high-level grassroots footballers compared to academy kids

• How his parents helped and supported him (plus advice to current football parents) 

• What he learnt from playing against Jude Bellingham

The way he sees football going in the future and how we need to develop kids for the future game

And much much more.

This was such a great chat and there’s loads for parents to take away from it.

We hope you enjoy listening.

What is it really like in an Academy? What does it take to get there? We spoke with Arran Horton, Former Leeds United Academy coach and now Director of Football at Visakha FC; a professional team in Cambodia. Arran gives some brilliant insights into Academy life, the difference between good grassroots players and elite Academy players and loads more.

A question we get asked a lot - does my child need to be in a football team? A lot of parents are worried that if they can't get their child into a team then it may hamper their development or they may feel they aren't giving their child the best opportunity to progress. This episode explains why you DO NOT need to worry so long as you're ticking a few other boxes in terms of the things you are providing them with. We look at how, in some cases, joining a team could be detrimental to their enjoyment and development. And we also discuss what to watch out for when joining a team.

How to coach mixed-abilities - a question we get asked a lot. Coaching football is hard enough but when you need to balance different ability levels it becomes even harder! We have a lot of experience of this at Foot-Tech as we welcome all abilities and often times we have children who are late to football, which can make things even trickier. In this episode we go through some of our best tips for coaching mixed ability football training sessions. Some are obvious, some are maybe ones you haven't thought about. Always keen to get the views of others so please do share your ideas. Parents, if you have a beginner player and you're worried about how to get them involved in football training because you feel they'll be too far behind... Speak to us about how we can help. Find more details out about our football coaching school by visiting our website: https://foot-techacademy.co.uk

In this episode, we look into the fascinating world of the Relative Age Effect and its implications for young football players.

We discuss the issues that can come for early and late developers and how parents and coaches can offer support.

We explore how birthdate can influence a child's athletic development, opportunities, and potential pitfalls in the youth football world.

Whether you're a seasoned football parent or new to the game, understanding this phenomenon is crucial for supporting your child's journey in football.

We'll also provide actionable tips to help you navigate this often-overlooked aspect of junior football that continues to play a big part in the development and enjoyment of young players.

One of the hardest things for a grassroots football manager to deal with is when a player is being left behind...and it starts to become obvious.

It is a difficult thing to communicate to parents but we offer some help and advice in this video on how to navigate it.

Often times a young footballer being left behind in terms of improving comes down to 2 things.

We discuss what they are and how best to handle each situation.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you're notified of all our new episodes.

Joysticking is becoming more common in children's sport. In this episode we discuss: What joysticking is Why you need to stop doing it What you can do instead As always please leave your thoughts and feedback.

As parents, we all want to see our children thrive, but is there such a thing as too much football training?

In this episode, we dive into the delicate balance between helping your child develop their skills and ensuring they don’t lose their love for the game.

We’ll discuss the signs of overtraining, why rest and recovery are just as important as practice, and how to recognize if your child’s schedule is too demanding.

You’ll also hear insights into the value of unstructured play, trying multiple sports, and how to create a training routine that supports both their physical and emotional well-being.

Whether you’re a parent or a coach, this episode will give you the tools to make sure young players stay passionate, happy, and injury-free as they grow. Tune in to learn how to foster a healthy football journey for your child!

Lois Forsell has achieved more before the age of 30 than most do in their lifetime.   She won the treble with Bradford Bulls, captained Leeds Rhinos and played for England at 2 World Cups.   She shares her story and has some amazing advice for parents and children in sport.

Should young footballers be placed into A & B teams?

Is it helping their development or holding them back?

In this episode, we dive into the pros and cons of ability-based team selection in grassroots football, how it affects player confidence, development, and motivation, and what parents and coaches need to know.

Key Topics Discussed:
- Why do clubs use A & B teams in youth football

- Do B-team players get left behind?

- The impact on confidence, self-esteem, and development

- Late bloomers vs. early developers

- Does early selection matter?

- Solutions: How can clubs do better?

- Advice for parents & coaches on supporting young players

If your child has ever been placed in a B team or you're a coach navigating team selection, this episode is for you!

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

As parents, we want nothing but the best for our children, especially when it comes to their interests and passions.

But in the world of youth football, how do we strike the right balance between nurturing our kids' love for the game and inadvertently pressuring them to excel?

In this insightful video, we delve into the delicate balance of fostering football passion in children without overwhelming them with parental expectations.

Discover practical tips and strategies for creating a supportive environment where children can develop a genuine obsession for football on their terms so it is them, not us, who are obsessed.

Foot-Tech Academy is a children’s football coaching school in Leeds. 

For more about what we do visit our website - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk

Join our football classes in Leeds:

5-14 year olds - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/football-sessions

2-4 year old (pre-school football)-  https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/3-4-year-old-football-training

121 football coaching - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/1-2-1-coaching 

School holiday camps - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/school-holidays

Are you a coach who still teaches dribbling, passing etc in isolation? i.e. without defenders on in a game-situation? Are you a parent who watches their child's football training sessions and sees nothing but kids dribbling around cones or passing in two's? It has long being believed that we need to teach young players 'skills', 'the fundamentals' before we can put them into a match. But there isn't any research or evidence to say this is the best way. There is, however, loads of research into how the fundamentals can be developed in a way that actually makes kids better at football. In this episode we look at that and explain the best way for children of all ages to be taught the basics and how it is time for more coaches (and parents) to see a better way of training junior footballers. Credit to Rob Gray for loads of information on this area. You can listen to the episode of his podcast discussing the study here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/58qIslhHeSajj0b1OSoH1j?si=XlK1o8QYTRSrLHuZmweP3A Join our football classes in Leeds: 5-14 year olds - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/football-sessions 2-4 year old (pre-school football)- https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/3-4-year-old-football-training 121 football coaching - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/1-2-1-coaching School holiday camps - https://www.foot-techacademy.co.uk/school-holidays

Part 2 of our chat about the games-based model approach to children’s coaching.

Here we discuss:

How to use the game-based approach with beginners

How kids learn the ‘skills’ they need without us doing unopposed ball mastery

The difference between football technique & skill

Is there a place for unopposed football training?

Why it’s so important to maximise the time you have with your players

Enjoy and let us know your thoughts.

Links to reading/courses discussed:

FCE coaching courses: Football Coach Evolution

Books by Rob Gray: https://perceptionaction.com/book/

Research paper: “Train as you play”: Improving effectiveness of training in youth soccer players

In this episode we discuss our recent experience of taking a Foot-Tech team to a tournament.

We saw a few things which we feel need to be highlighted in order to give parents a a good idea on how to pick the best team for their child.

We discuss:

• Why putting children into positions early is NOT the best thing for them longer-term
• How constant instructions from coaches/parents can actually damage their learning
• Why we need to simply let them play

...and loads more.

Have a listen and let us know your thoughts.

Bridie Hannon is the captain of Leeds United Women and is one of a few people who can say they've lived their dream - to play and captain your hometown club playing the sport you love. Bride talks to us about how she got to where she is, how playing against boys helped her, the future of the women's game and loads more. Enjoy!

The demand for one to one football coaching is increasing - but is it worth it?

121 football training has been part of our business for almost 10 years.

We’ve coached all ages & abilities and have done upwards of 1000+ sessions between our coaching team.

We’ve tried and tested all sorts of different ideas, football drills and equipment.

Are they right for everyone?

What are the benefits (if any)?

We go through everything in this video and give our honest thoughts and opinion based on past experience and knowledge.

Feel free to comment with any questions or thoughts.

Looking to help your child become a more confident with their football?

In this episode, we'll share four expert tips to help kids of all ages and skill levels improve their game.

Listen to understand more about some really simple, easy to do things that we've found to help children improve not just for football but their overall fundamental movement and confidence.

For any more advice just drop us a message and don't forget to subscribe to the show.

A few years ago we completely changed the way we coach at our football sessions.

We'd previously had a big part of our sessions made up of individual ball-mastery and 'skills' work.

In this episode we discuss:

• What is a games-based approach to football coaching
• What are 'constraints' and how we use them to make sure our players learn and improve for football
• Why we stopped SAQ at our sessions
• How to really coach decision-making
• Why aren't all coaches using this method?
• The difference between learning and performing

...and loads more.

Let us know what you think and any questions you have.

Did you know that Germany have just completely revamped their approach to grassroots football?  

They have introduced a lot of new things including adopting a game called Funino.  

Funino is a game first developed by legendary coach, Horst Wein.  

The style of game helps to develop junior footballers but also ensures a lot of enjoyment.  

It is something, along with Horst Wein's other teachings, that we have implemented at our sessions.  

There is a change coming and we will see a return to street football style games with a focus on development over winning.  

Listen to find out more about this exciting development in youth football and how it might impact your child.

Mike Bates is an ex-Royal Marine and also worked undercover in human intelligence for the MoD where he was an ops leader.

Since leaving he has become a successful business owner after opening Gracie Barra Roundhay Leeds, a Jiu Jitsu academy which has seen amazing growth.

On top of that he is also about to start the unbelievable challenge of rowing across the Atlantic Ocean (solo) to raise funds for Leeds Children's Hospital.

Perhaps his biggest challenge is being a Dad. 

We sat down to discuss his approach to parenting, how he keeps his two boys motivated and what he's learned from being a parent with children involved in sport.

This was one of our favourite conversations with so much to takeaway.

You can find out more about Mike and his charity work by visiting: 

Website https://www.theatlanticgrappler.com/

Instagram https://instagram.com/theatlanticgrappler?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

We've been doing our bit to help girls football ever since we started.

But we now know we can do more and this has led to our decision to start our first-ever girls only groups at our weekly sessions.

In the episode we discuss:

Why now?

Why we haven't done it before?

When it will start

Enjoy!

We never like to see our children quit.

Resilience and character can be built by pushing through hard-times, but there comes a point where quitting might actually be the best option.

We discuss all this in this episode of Shouting From The Sidelines plus:

• What to ask your child in these situations
• How to approach the coach in the right way
• Red flags to watch out for to know when the time is right to quit

Enjoy and let us know your thoughts.

Football trials can be great experiences IF players are prepared for what to expect.  

In our latest podcast episode we give our best tips for preparing for trials and how your player can get the best out of the time they have.

Imagine becoming a World Champion in something. What does it take? How do parents help? How important is the right coach? We sat down with Liam Harrison, multiple World Champion in Thai Boxing. He's fought around the globe and learnt a lot along the way. This is a great insight into what it takes to become the best in your field.

This was a request by one of our members.

She thought it would be good to know how and why we started Foot-Tech.

Nick and I sat down to talk all about it including what still drives us and what the future holds.

Enjoy!