If you’re a new participant, before you book please email us to check availability of places.
For prices or to book a session click here… 
NEW TERM PLACES NOW AVAILABLE – APPLY NOW!
Stage 1 U7/8 – Tuesdays from 6pm to 7pm, indoors at the Victory Sports Ground
Stage 2 U9/10 – Tuesdays from 5.15pm to 6.15pm, indoors at the Victory Sports Ground
Stage 3 U11/12 – Tuesdays from 6pm to 7pm, indoors at the Victory Sports Ground
Runs all through the year, but rests during school holidays.
If you’re a new participant, before you book please email us to check availability of places. To book a place use our online shop.
The Academy Foundation is a unique holistic approach to youth football development for players that can’t get enough of the game they love and want to learn more! The sessions supplement standard club recreational and social team training sessions and matches; catering for the proportion of players who are ‘inspired and aspirational’.
Our sessions can be transformative and developmental, but in order to take part in our very disciplined Academy sessions, a child must have at least one or two years of good footy experience behind them, i.e. they should currently be attending mainstream recreational team training/matches at the same time, such as provided by Sporting 87 FC or our Footy Tigers sessions.
The regular outfield development sessions for junior youth players are held indoors at the Victory Sports Ground sports hall, and our goalkeepers train outdoors on the 3G all weather pitch at the Skyliner Sports Centre. These are intense training sessions with regular match experiences against futsal dedicated club teams and pro-club advanced level session players.
The sessions are open to all children who are serious about improving their footy up to pro-club academy level; with high quality coaching on a par with pro-club PDC and Elite programmes. When it is appropriate for the player to progress, i.e. to contract level; we then make referrals direct to the professional academies.
Whether a child plays for a Sporting 87 team or another club, we welcome applications for a trial at anytime. Players must meet a minimum standard in order to benefit from the sessions.
Click here to compare our Academy with other professional providers of supplementary sessions.
Practical: Futsal and football based techniques and skills
Teaching and practice of physical and technical elements:
– For experienced players only
– Focus on the individual
– Improving football up to pro-club academy level
Futsal – the best tool for teaching football and a great game in its own right
Futsal gives you more: involvement, decisions, touches, pace in the game, and coaching attention (because of reduced player numbers and space). For younger players development is further enhanced through development games using more appropriate MiniFutsal™ formats, where we use Futebol de Salão size 2/3 balls on a smaller sized pitch with smaller goals. Through our coaching ethos and using futsal we create ‘independent’ players with enhanced: technique, vision, speed and agility, intelligence and mental resilience. (In 2012 Sporting Trust created its MiniFutsal™ formats of the game for children up to and including the U11 age group, and continues its development through Community and Academy sessions. The smaller pitch size forces the need for good technique, high agility and quick decision making in order to be successful; while a player’s physical size and stature are reduced in influence. A more equitable, challenging and enjoyable game for everyone results.) Use the links below to find out more about futsal.
BBC guide to small-sided football
England futsal team official site
England Futsal – leading independent website
National Super League tables – Men
National Ladies Super League tables
Psychological: Planned and measured interventions
Engraining and conditioning the four key football behaviour sets:
– Confidence
– Focus
– Self control
– Determination
Theory: Classroom based learning
Providing knowledge and understanding of the game that:
– Enthuses
– Motivates
– Increases self-esteem
Underpinned by the same values and ethos as Sporting 87 FC activities, the sessions involve practical activities to develop skills and techniques, together with short interesting theory lessons on various aspects of the game that vastly improve the player’s confidence. Teaching is in part tailored to the individual and delivered in small groups.
The approach of the Academy is based on a fair measure of psychological ‘training’ as much as physical. We believe that for many players there is great untapped potential restricted by opportunity, knowledge and above all confidence. It is our aim to unlock that potential by resolving each of these issues in a holistic and structured way, which surpasses what may be regarded as similar ‘advanced’ football training activities. Players of all levels of ability will benefit from the programme, but only those who are serious about their development will gain fully. The social component of the sessions is an important part of the experience, as is having a great deal of fun, but hard work and dedication is required from all participants. Occasional homework, i.e. ball practice is a component of our plans and is to be taken seriously.
The sessions are presented in a module-topic structure, with a module of related and sequentially ordered topics running through each school half term. When a player joins the programme he/she is subject to an initial period of assessment through: controlled activities, observations of how they presently play, and relaxed psychological interviews. Progress is monitored and continually feedback to the player. Sessions are open to parents/carers, but we insist on no interferance whatsoever.
The programme is especially beneficial to those playing for Sporting 87 FC. Familiarity with the programme’s coaches and the learning environment contributes to the players comfort and thereby ability to learn. Also, Club team managers can be asked to support programme tasks and objectives that are set for players, and feedback on progress can be more easily acquired.
A year’s membership fee is required in twelve monthly subscription payments. There is an initial sign on fee, which essentially pays for the Academy shirt provided. Note that our additonal optional Academy Experience excursions are charged for separately.
The full Academy playing kit must be worn at the Academy matches (it is the same as Sporting 87 FC except for the shirt). Shorts, socks and a tracksuit can be bought from our online shop.
If you’d like your son or daughter to join us for a trial, then please just send an email to let us know you’re coming, and we’ll look forward to seeing you. If in the meantime you have any questions you’d like answered, please just contact us.
If you’re a new participant, before you book please email us to check availability of places.
For prices or to book a session click here…