So, dilemma time at the football club. Ludicrously, junior football in this country leaps from 7-a-side to 11-a-side when kids get into Year 6. At our club we have two decent 7-a-side teams, each with squads of 9 or 10. Here's the question, do we try and recruit some more players and run two teams? Or do we create one team with a big squad where some kids may not play as much football?
I'm painfully aware that boys get distracted and have more on when they get to 10. More and more kids play music, drama, other sports, have entrance exams for private schools, have divorced parents with different priorities. Coaches have to be more than just keen fathers, they have to take a course to be an FA Grade 1 coach. The transition will be massive too. Holding the whole thing together is a mammoth task for whoever takes it on.
So far I've only talked to people who are emotionally involved (parents). What does anyone else out there think?
1 comment:
Michael,
If you can, try to recruit some more players to develop 2 11-a-side teams. My son went through the same process a few years ago and was 'dumped' when they decided to have only 1 11-a-side team after two successful 7-a-side teams. It took him and a couple of the other rejected players at least a couple of years to regain confidence and find other teams.
Good luck, Steve
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