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… 
For birthday parties click here…
For holiday clubs click here…
Foundation activities for a child’s first discovery and joy of the game.
“Thanks for the taster session last week I thought the lesson was really good and I liked the coaches that ran it, they were brilliant with the children. Wishing you all the best, we think you’re running an amazing club that has a brilliant reputation in the town.”
Amy – Footy Cub Mum
For further details on our Mini Cubs, Cubs and Tigers sessions see below. For schedule information and bookings see our online shop.
Click here to find out where Tommy’s been recently!
About our Foundation sessions We pride ourselves in giving the best value, best quality, and best structured young childrens’ football activities. Our programmes provide enjoyment, development and friendship; with optional matches, advancement to teams and advanced training. We provide a uniquely coordinated and holistic approach, not available from other local providers. Our highly trained and experienced coaches ensure that our children start at the most appropriate entry point and then transition smoothly into team football with our partner Sporting 87 FC. Our children (and parents!) leave us with the best understanding, skillset and confidence possible. What’s more our Academy programme provides access to advanced level development sessions up to academy contract level.
The Foundation’s objectives Primarily our fun play and practices support the development of children’s fundamental movement skills, termed A B C ‘s (see explanatory video), at the same time as motivating, enthusing and developing a life-long love of football. Our programme’s social, cooperative and collaborative nature is also an important factor as to why our footy sessions have so much positive benefit beyond it simply being physically rewarding.
Our aims for every child Our three programme stages: Mini Cubs, Cubs and Tigers are appropriately designed to cover the first three important stages of a child’s physical, emotional and cognitive growth. Not every child is the same so the ages we give for each stage are a guide only. Prior experience is the major influencing factor to your child’s reaction to his/her first session. This can simply be having played with family in the garden, especially older siblings, or involvement in playground footy with friends at school; whatever your child’s football experience we can provide them with the most appropriate entry point to more formal and structured learning.
- Mini Cubs Playtime for ages 2 to 3½
Parent supervised activities for “Footy Discoverers” in a football themed soft play area.
Football movement and vocabulary toys provided for: fun games, rhymes and songs. - Cubs for ages 3½ to 5 (up to early years and reception)
Coach led activities for independent “Footy Explorers”.
Football movement and vocabulary taught within FUNdamentals based play and practice. - Tigers for ages 5 to 7 (school years 1 and 2)
Coach led activities for independent “Footy Adventurers”.
Skills development, playing as a team and optional match experiences on Saturdays (additional fee). - Tigers for Girls Only for ages 5 to 11 (school years 1 to 6)
Coach led activities for independent “Footy Adventurers”.
Skills development and fun games.
When first placing a child we focus our attention on appropriateness; the ability to cope will contribute so much to a child’s enjoyment and fulfilment. For example it is not uncommon for a Tiger-age child that is totally new to football to be placed in an accomplished Cubs group to start.
Making it right for your child Throughout your child’s time with us, up until graduation to U8 club football proper, your child’s coach will advise you when he/she is ready for transition through each stage. To ensure very late starters can cope with graduation either specific home practise, 1-on-1 sessions or additional group sessions may be advised.
Matches and team football Typically children can start to grasp the concepts of team-play and match rules at Tiger age. It is then when our Footy Tigers can play in friendly mini-matches on Saturday mornings. Participation in these games is optional, and must be in addition to a midweek training session.
Supporting players and parents through graduation to club football At the end of Footy Tigers the children are arranged in fixed teams in preparation for graduating to Sporting 87 Football Club as U8s. During the Footy Tigers period volunteer parents/carers that wish to be involved with helping the teams are supported by our professional coaches. They are helped to attain the knowledge, experience and qualifications to become confident and competent team coaches and helpers.
Mini Cubs Playtime
Foundation play for their first discovery and joy of the game (ages 2 to 3½).
Parent supervised activities for “Footy Discoverers” in a football themed soft play area.
Football movement and vocabulary toys provided for: fun games, ryhmes and songs.
FREE kit starter pack (shirt and shorts) when you sign on.
Wednesdays from 5pm to 5.45pm.
In the sports hall at the Skyliner Sports Centre.
(Alongside our Footy Cubs session for slightly older children.)
Important things to note:
- Football activities are provided for 39 weeks of the year. Regular sessions run during school term time only.
- Each year’s membership fee is collected by twelve monthly instalments. One month’s notice of contract termination is required.
- The provided kit should be worn to all activities.
We are also working in several good children’s day nurseries:
Contact us to find a nursery with a place near you.
Cubs
Foundation sessions for their first discovery and joy of the game (ages 3½ to 5).
Coach led activities for independent “Footy Explorers”.
Football movement and vocabulary taught within FUNdamentals based play and practice.
FREE kit starter pack (shirt and shorts) when you sign on.
Wednesdays from 5pm to 5.45pm.
In the sports hall at the Skyliner Sports Centre.
(Alongside our Mini Cubs session for younger children.)
Important things to note:
- Football activities are provided for 48 weeks of the year, with 4 rest weeks: the last two weeks of August and two weeks at Christmas. Regular sessions run during school term time and in the school holidays sessions are incorporated into our Holiday Club programme.
- Each year’s membership fee is collected by twelve monthly instalments. One month’s notice of contract termination is required.
- The provided kit should be worn to all activities.
Tigers
Foundation sessions for their first discovery and joy of the game (ages 5 to 7 – school years 1 and 2).
Includes ‘Super Tigers’ (late starters in school years 3 and 4).
Coach led activities for independent “Footy Adventurers”.
Skills development and playing as a team.
FREE kit starter kit (shirt, shorts & socks) when you sign on.
Choose from either:
- Mondays from 5pm to 6pm. In the sports hall at the Victory Sports Ground. OR
- Wednesdays from 6pm to 7pm. In the sports hall at Skyliner Sports Centre.
Important things to note:
- Football activities are provided for 48 weeks of the year, with 4 rest weeks: the last two weeks of August and two weeks at Christmas. Regular sessions run during school term time and in the school holidays sessions are incorporated into our Holiday Club programme.
- Each year’s membership fee is collected by twelve monthly instalments. One month’s notice of contract termination is required.
- The provided kit should be worn to all activities.
Optional Saturday ‘Match Experiences’
Footy Tigers in school year one have the choice to play training games between themselves in a match-real environment on occasional Saturday mornings. The frequency of games increases in school year two and will then also involve matches against other clubs. Match Experiences are important transition activities that accelerate personal and team development, and prepare the children (and you) for regular team football when they reach school year three. The games are optional to attend but highly recommended. There’s an additional fee per game. To take part participants must be aiming to join Sporting 87 FC in school year three.
Tigers for Girls-only
“Please pass on our thanks to ‘the coach’. My daughter is really enjoying her football and goes in confidently which is a pleasure for me, and a credit to ‘the coach’. In her words ‘He teaches me football, keeps me safe and makes it really fun.’ THANK YOU.”
C & A – Girls Footy Tiger Mum and Dad
Foundation sessions for their first discovery and joy of the game (ages 5 to 11 – years 1 to 6).
Coach led activities for independent “Footy Adventurers”.
Skills development and fun games.
FREE kit starter pack (shirt & shorts) when you sign on.
Fridays from 4.15pm to 5pm.
In the sports hall at the Skyliner Sports Centre.
Important things to note:
- Football activities are provided for 48 weeks of the year, with 4 rest weeks: the last two weeks of August and two weeks at Christmas. Regular sessions run during school term time and in the school holidays sessions are incorporated into our Holiday Club programme.
- Each year’s membership fee is collected by twelve monthly instalments. One month’s notice of contract termination is required.
- The provided kit should be worn to all activities.
See our female football policy.
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…
Q & A
You may find it useful to know the answers of these common questions.
Q1 Would my child be okay to attend the sessions; she will be nearly old enough but not the age you stipulate?
A1 We do state specific ages, but this is only a guide because all children are different. Normally it’s fine if a child is a few months below our stated age – the child can be emotionally, socially and physically developed enough to be with us, but sometimes it’s not appropriate. Our coach ratios are key to this and you should chat to our Foundation coaches about whether your child could cope with the level of attention we prescribe in each session. Please contact us before you book.
Our tiger mascots and the WWF Tiger Protectors scheme
The Footy Cubs and Tigers children’s mascot is called “Tommy”. Occasionally you’ll see Tommy the tiger at our footy sessions and other events, such as holiday clubs and tournaments. Also at all our footy sessions our large cuddly tiger toy mascots “Timmy” and “Tilly” are there to encourage and support the children in their efforts. At the end of each session players that are awarded “Cub/Tiger of the Week” get to take the ‘younger’ (smaller) tiger “Tommy” home with them. Click here to find out where Tommy’s been recently! 🙂
It’s all great fun and the tigers are great motivators for the children. We also like to teach the children a little about the struggle of real tigers in the wild. There’s estimated to be just 5574 tigers left in world and there are urgent problems that need tackling; such as poaching, illegal trade in body parts and tiger farms. We hope to instil a little community responsibility by linking our use of the toy tigers at football to the plight of their real ‘cousins’ in Asia. If you’d like to find out more, then visit the WWF Tigers website, and World Animal Foundation website, or you can click on the picture below to find out how you can become a WWF ‘Tiger Protector’.