The Ideal Age to Start Football Training and the Best Coaching Methodologies

 Football is an extremely popular sport, and it is a dream for many younger players to play for a famous club or to represent their country. Professional players engage in football by the ages of 3 to 5 years and participate in coach-led practices or join a youth football academy by the ages of 6 and 7. Nowadays, professional clubs and national associations/federations are investing large amounts of money to identify and develop elite football players all over the world.

While there may be many factors that influence a decision to start football training, and it also differs from one child to another, the ideal time for a child to start is between the ages of 3 and 5 years. When they are younger, it is better to leave them to learn and explore the game of football without too many restrictions or rules.

From the ages of 3 to 5, children are able to run, jump, and throw. They start to learn and develop balance. Their vision is still developing at this age, and they can find it challenging to follow the ball if it is moving fast. There should be an aspect of free play during lessons so that they can learn to move in different ways and improve stability and balance. Since they are still learning coordination skills, one should ensure that they get enough time with the ball to comprehend how to interact with it.

KEY POINTS FOR ACADEMIES AND COACHES:

ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM

Children tend to have a short attention span. This is especially true with students that are just starting football, and hence coaches need to keep the energy levels high. The best youth football academies meticulously plan their programmes to keep every player interested and involved in the sessions.

PATIENCE

Children don’t always behave perfectly for coaches. Typically, a new football player will use their hands on the ball or continue to dribble the ball even when they have travelled out of the pitch. A coach must always be patient with the students.

PASSION

If a coach is having fun and enjoying working with young children, the children will feel that enthusiasm, which, in turn, will rub off on the children.

EXPERIENCE

Toddlers and pre-school students are a unique group of children to deal with. Every training session with them is different, and it is better for more experienced coaches to handle them.

FUN

One of the things one should do when hiring coaches for younger age groups is to test their ability to be fun. At SUFC, we have found that the coaches or trainers who are willing to act a

little silly, gesture in funny ways, and play innovative games are the ones who captivate the interest of the children.

EARLY ENGAGEMENT

When children join the game at an early age, they should be encouraged. This initiation phase is to allow the children to discover the game. A professional youth football academy should conduct sessions suitable for learning fundamental movement skills and focus on creating a positive football experience. It is essential that children are exposed to a high-quality experience designed to meet their needs. This will be their first experience of practising and playing football in a good environment, which can be the deciding factor for whether or not football becomes their sport of choice. That is why the playing experience must be fun and exciting right from the start.

At South United, we ensure that age-specific training is provided at every level to ensure top-notch training for each student! If you are looking for one of the best youth football academies in Bangalore, call us on +91 8296170556 or visit our facility in Ulsoor today!

Address: South United Football Club, RBANM’s Ground, Gate №3, Gangadhar Chetty Road, Near Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru — 560042.

South United – The Best Place for Kids Who Want to Learn Football

With several academies and coaching centres across the country, most cater to a specific age group or skill. However, be it basic or advanced coaching, at South United Football Club, there are programmes for everyone. Starting from the age of 3 years, SUFC has successfully coached enthusiasts of all age groups. Apart from football coaching and training, South United also conducts camps and clinics during the year, giving kids who are starting off a chance to connect with the sport at a level they are comfortable with.

South United, the first privately-owned professional football club in Bangalore, was formed in 2012 and has conducted programmes in the sport across the country. These also include Football Clinics in Mumbai and Bangalore in partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation. Since the opening of the Academy Facility in Bangalore in 2019, South United has hosted the BDFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ Division Leagues, the Adidas Unfair Tournament, its own soccer training and camps, and is currently the official training ground for I-League 2 practice matches.

SUFC conducts the best football coaching in Bangalore by providing students with a proper pathway for football and is devoted to helping them achieve the best they can. The South United Football Club Academy helps players progress through the different phases of the Academy programme. The aim is to help them move upwards to the SUFC First Team squad, local and national youth teams, to teams that play in Senior Leagues, both nationally and internationally.

The main USPs of the South United Football Club Academy are its high-performance centre, curriculum, facility, and coaching systems and process, enabling it to provide the best football coaching in Bangalore. SUFC works with the best in the field of coaching across the world to prepare and deliver a curriculum that is best suited to the Indian physique and style. The sessions cover the technical, tactical, physical, mental, and social aspects of the sport.

At South United, students have the opportunity to learn and succeed in the game, make new friends, and progress both on and off the field! It is the best football school for kids, and we suggest that you enrol immediately so that you don’t miss out on the fun!

For more details:

Contact Number: 8296170556

Location: South United Football Club, RBANM’s Ground, Gate No. 3, Gangadhar Chetty Road, Near Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru – 560042.

E-mail ID: info@sufcindia.com

Register now!

10 Reasons Why SUFC is the Best Youth Football Academy

 South United is committed to providing grassroots training to girls and boys from the ages of three years onwards, which is evident in the numerous events and programs it has conducted across the country. SUFC has also set up an exceptional facility in the heart of Bangalore that is open to all. Here are some reasons why you should register with this youth academy.

1) Train with the Best — Every coach that is involved in the training is a licensed professional. South United has also hired former Manchester City and Irish National Team Player Mr. Terry Phelan as its Technical Director. Every session is planned in advance, keeping in mind the level and skill of the players.

2) Outstanding Facility — The South United Facility is nothing short of remarkable! Very few facilities can boast of the infrastructure available here. From 11-a-side, 6-a-side, and 3-a-side pitches to a Running Track, a Sandpit, an AV Room, Dressing Rooms, and Lockers — it has it all! As one of the best youth football academies in Bangalore, the venue even has its own Gym, a Medical Centre, and a Café within the Academy premises itself.

3) Age-Specific Training — The physical and physiological demands of a player differ in different age groups. Many a time, students find themselves training with kids much younger or much older than them. However, South United ensures that each child trains with students of their own age group and skill, giving all students an equal chance.

4) Evaluation System — At this Academy, a proper and rigorous evaluation system has been put into place. The coaches conduct skills tests on a monthly and quarterly basis and provide regular feedback and reports to the players. The coaches even sit with the parents to explain how their children can improve.

5) Competitive Exposure — If you are tired of just training every week with no game time, then this is the right academy for you. South United provides the right balance of practice and matches. It has even conducted trials for its Under 13, Under 15, and Under 18 I-League Youth Teams recently to give its students every opportunity possible to play professionally, making it the best football club for youth development.

6) Specialized Tie-ups -  SUFC has a vast network and uses its resources to benefit the students at the Academy. It has tie-ups with experts in the field with Certified Physiotherapy and Gym partners as a part of the mix. It is also constantly expanding its set of connections within and outside the country.

7) Professional Pathway — With the growth of the sport in the country, the need for more professional players is also increasing. South United, since its inception, has been devoted to helping players find their way in the sport, steering them in the right direction. Owing to the constant support and guidance from the Club, several players who have been a part of SUFC have gone on to create an important niche for themselves in the sport.

8) Safety Precautions in Place — Safety has always been a priority at the Academy. COVID Guidelines are followed strictly to ensure the security of everyone at the facility. Social Distancing guidelines are followed, and temperature and O2 checks are conducted for every person who enters the venue.

9) Accessible Location — The Academy is situated in the heart of Bangalore in Ulsoor and is easily accessible for all. So, if you are looking for the best football club for youth development that is also easy to reach, this is the place for you.

10) Brilliant History and a Brighter Future — From churning out talented young individuals to winning numerous awards to conducting events of varying sizes, SUFC has done it all. The ecosystem itself is proof of all its great accomplishments, and with its own Academy and professional team, it is only primed to do much more!

Certainly one of the best football academies in the city, do reach out to South United on 8296170556 to register today!

Get to Know the Staff of a Football Team

 Every football team comprises of different people who contribute to the success of the team. The people who are largely recognized and known are the players and the coaches.

Besides the coach the students train with on a regular basis, there are other coaches who make up a large part of the team. To manage, guide, and support the team, the coaching staff is made up of the Technical Director, the Head of Youth Development, the Head of Soccer Schools, and multiple age or position-specific coaches. To provide top-quality football training in Bangalore, South United hires only licensed and specialised coaches for every role.

There are many other members who also work daily to ensure that there are no roadblocks to the team’s progress. Every team has a physiotherapist and a doctor to provide medical care for all players. These two members also play a vital role at every match that a team participates in and attend to any match-related occurrences.

Football teams also hire a nutritionist to evaluate a player’s diet and create player-specific nutrition plans. Strength and Conditioning coaches also play a vital role in injury prevention and developing a player’s fitness, especially since physical fitness is one of the most crucial aspects of being a professional football player or joining a qualified academy or football school in Bangalore.

In the Indian footballing landscape, every club has a Club President. They overview the management and running of the entire team and provide leadership and support to its members. Along with them, a football team also must have excellent management and operational support. This includes the CEO, General Secretary, Team Manager, Finance Team, Legal Team, HR Team, and additional support staff. These members are responsible for everything from the players’ contracts to the representation of players and player rights to the registration of players for Matches and Leagues. Pre-match and match day operations are also taken care of by the administrative and operations staff. Teams also hire Media Officers, whose responsibility is to manage all media and PR-related aspects of the club.

Scouting new players, looking for new tournaments and events, and acquiring sponsorship for the team is also essential, and there are specific persons allotted to accomplish each of these activities. Scouts, agents, or consultants visit other teams or football schools in Bangalore and across the country to find the right talent for the team. To overlook the club’s academy staff and players, teams also hire Academy Managers.

To know more about South United, the team, and our football training in Bangalore, call us on 8296170556 or follow us on https://www.facebook.com/sufcindia for regular updates.

South United’s Sustainable Sporting Ecosystem

 South United is a multi-faceted company invested in developing sports in India. The management at South United has made it their mission to create a platform that brings quality training and guidance to every aspiring footballer. This involves the creation of a sustainable ecosystem for players, coaches, and sports professionals to grow and develop to the highest levels. The Ecosystem includes elements like the Football Club, Sports Schools, Sports Education, Sports Events and Infrastructure, and the Sports Foundation.

Founded in 2012, South United Football Club is Bangalore’s first privately-owned professional Football Club. Since its inception, the team has played in the I-League 2nd Division, the BDFA Super Division, as well as the Puttaiah Memorial Cup. The Football Club has consciously been a young team that scouts only Indian talent. The Club has dedicated itself to the journey of carving pathways for youth in professional sports.

As a part of this endeavour, South United is in the process of building a state-of-the-art Academy with special focus on nutrition, fitness, and well-rounded education. The main purpose of the Academy is to identify, develop, and retain talented young footballers to progress through the development phases of the Academy programme into the SUFC First Team squad. In order to maximize its reach, South United delivers programmes to schools and other institutions right from the grassroots level through South United Sports Schools.  

South United believes in making Sport accessible to all, irrespective of one’s economic background. Through the South United Sports Foundation, multiple community programmes are run for girls and boys to learn and develop their game. Sport is used to empower them, not only on the field but off the field as well. South United Sports Foundation strives to not only create talented football players but also provide employment opportunities for youngsters in the Sports Industry.

South United also aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and professional expertise to help contribute to the growth of the sector. This is seen in its Sports Business Management Course, a professional Certificate Course designed for individuals seeking to gain employment in the Sports Industry. In addition to this, Coaching Clinics, Sports Seminars, and Sports Workshops are held to give coaching personnel an opportunity to improve their expertise.

To complete the gamut of the Sporting Ecosystem, South United is also engaged in the setting up of Sporting Facilities and conducting Sports Events. From the setting up of Football Turfs, Basketball Courts, and Golf Courses to conducting Corporate Sports Tournaments, School Competitions, and Marathons, South United conducts a range of sports activities. With an upcoming Sports Café, Gym, and Sports Shop, South United strives to build a sports community that is open to all and be the leading creator of a sustainable sporting ecosystem!

The Way Forward

 Football is by far one of the most popular sports, and it is a dream and an honour for many young players to play for famous clubs all over the world and represent their country. However, only a few players develop their abilities to reach this level of expertise. Nowadays, Professional Clubs like South United Football Club and National Associations are investing large amounts of money on new venues to identify and develop elite players. The reason behind this is that this is, indeed, a valuable investment since a player is unrestricted at the time of joining and may be worth millions in time to come.

If this approach is to be effective, it requires extensive knowledge and a great understanding of the development process leading to the Elite Level. To develop a specific model of Long-Term Player Development (LTPD), an understanding of the current generic models and theories surrounding Player Development and their application to football is necessary. Achieving this success is largely dependent on the successful implementation of the Coach Education framework at South United as it provides direction to the coaches in terms of what is needed for the development of players.

During these harsh times, with COVID-19 affecting the whole world, coaches have to be kept motivated, and their educational growth is one of South United’s top priorities. At South United, coaches have been kept engaged to keep their learning process ongoing. The focus is on different blocks of work like Delivering Home Educational Football, Strength Work for Players, 10 Week Programmes, Futsal Planning, Football Tournaments, Best Practices to Make Football Safe, etc.The coaches at South United have a willingness to learn, to work hard, and to dedicate themselves to football – not just at regular training sessions, which are not taking place at the moment because of the virus, but also in their own time at home. At South United, the coaches are constantly challenged in their work to bring out the best in them and to help them understand and accept a range of responsibilities.

South United creates a positive learning environment within its coaching philosophy, which also provides coaches with the best chances of succeeding when working with players. Planning is central to the role of South United coaches as it provides a framework for the entire preparation process for them to achieve the best results. The key areas of the Coaching Process are: 

• Plan sessions and programmes according to the needs of the players
• Deliver the coaching session
• Evaluate the session within the programme

With a UNITED approach from all parties at South United, the aim is to create high-quality opportunities and pathways to cater to the needs, aspirations, and ability levels of all players and hence match the right programme to the right player.

Activities for Parents To Conduct With Their Children at Home

 

As we all know, this is a very difficult time for most of us because we are obliged to stay indoors to keep us safe from the virus. Even though it is one of the effective ways to protect ourselves from getting infected, it still has a massive impact on our social and psychological well-being.

Children, in particular, are not habitual to staying indoors. They eventually start to miss the interaction and fun with their friends, and they get bored after a certain point in time.

Now, as parents, what can we do to tackle this issue to make sure that our children are comfortable and happy staying indoors?

Conducting fun games and activities on your own could be quite challenging, but it is definitely worthwhile. Pick and choose games that could stretch the minds of your children and also keep them physically active. In other words, it is important to find a balance between both.

Chess and other board games like Monopoly and quizzes are generally favourites to play at home and also aid in children using their intellectual abilities. Video games are also widely preferred, but considering their time on computers for online education, their time on screen must be managed appropriately. Below are a few activities and games to help your child stay physically active:

Football is one of the best games to make sure that your child has fun and also stays active. There are several activities that you could do with just a ball while being creative and making it more relevant to the context that you are in.

For instance, if you have a larger space, have small goals at the ends, and challenge your child to score. These goals can be created with objects found at home. If he/she does not score, they need to sprint and recover the ball. If they do score, then reward them with points, or even with a chocolate. If your space is limited, then you might have to adapt and use just one goal.

Another activity could be “Keepy Ups/Juggling”, where your child will have to try and keep the ball from dropping to the floor. This can improve their ball control and also their balance. You can add different objectives to make it more competitive. For example, every 20 seconds that they keep the ball up would be worth 10 points, and so the longer they juggle, the higher the points would be.

There are many ball mastery, reaction, and balance skills that your child can work on by just watching videos from various online resources. Keeping our children healthy and active is vital, and the considerations above could help to keep them motivated during these challenging times.

South United has also started Online Football Training Programmes to keep children engaged and stimulated. For more details, call 08296193556.