8 years old & football training
Discussion
As per the title, my Godson has been signed up to a Premier League club to start what appears to be some serious hard work. He has previously played for local teams.
He is 9 in October, average height for his age but a strong build and a natural athlete with the ability to run extremely fast - I'm a sub 21 minute 5k runner & I have to sprint to keep up with him.
He has always shown a high level of talent for football so it is no surprise that he is being groomed to go further.
However, his parents & I have a couple of concerns about the level of training required. During the summer holidays it's approx 5 hours a day 3 times a week.
On these days, he needs to eat 3,500 calories which seems about right. Problem is that's a lot of food - I could do it no worries - but at 8 I'm not sure.
So the question really is, given the required calorie intake on training days, could anyone think of the best way to get that amount of calories in the lad.
Total non fussy eater & loves Heinz ketchup like his Godfather!
He is 9 in October, average height for his age but a strong build and a natural athlete with the ability to run extremely fast - I'm a sub 21 minute 5k runner & I have to sprint to keep up with him.
He has always shown a high level of talent for football so it is no surprise that he is being groomed to go further.
However, his parents & I have a couple of concerns about the level of training required. During the summer holidays it's approx 5 hours a day 3 times a week.
On these days, he needs to eat 3,500 calories which seems about right. Problem is that's a lot of food - I could do it no worries - but at 8 I'm not sure.
So the question really is, given the required calorie intake on training days, could anyone think of the best way to get that amount of calories in the lad.
Total non fussy eater & loves Heinz ketchup like his Godfather!
A friend of mine had the same with his son, Ipswich and Norwich approached him, he wanted to play for Ipswich (good lad 
)
However, his dad flat out refused to allow him to train at the intensity that both clubs required, so he pulled him out.
3 years later at 11 years old, he's signed up with Ipswich again, and far happier, so it didn't ruin his chances at all (he also played tennis during the summer instead and is a county player now!)
)However, his dad flat out refused to allow him to train at the intensity that both clubs required, so he pulled him out.
3 years later at 11 years old, he's signed up with Ipswich again, and far happier, so it didn't ruin his chances at all (he also played tennis during the summer instead and is a county player now!)
Thanks for replies. I will be watching him train in the next few weeks, so I think it will be a watching brief to see how he copes & recovers.
I think his mother & I will have to try & carb load him the night before & keep him topped up during his training days.
Congrats on the choice of footy club (fellow Suffolk lad) & on your post count by the way Dirty Boy - nearly 9 a day on average - do you do anything else?
I think his mother & I will have to try & carb load him the night before & keep him topped up during his training days.
Congrats on the choice of footy club (fellow Suffolk lad) & on your post count by the way Dirty Boy - nearly 9 a day on average - do you do anything else?
I'm under the impression that due to the amount of money in football, the best of the best in terms of sports nutrition, physiotherapy and sports performance are employed so he's probably in very, very good hands. Compare it to the sort of training in a fitness class in a community leisure centre where archaic practices for things like warming up are carried out.
If I knew then what I know now I would dissuade anyone from letting their youngster sign up to a professional club. It puts far too much pressure on the kids and parents. Keep him playing with his pals in the local team for aslong as possible. If he's a good footballer he will get opportunities later on.
I'm speaking from experience with my 10 year old.
I'm speaking from experience with my 10 year old.
dirty doug said:
your post count nearly 9 a day on average - do you do anything else?
sometimes put the computer down if sex is available.All i'd say is that it's important he continues to enjoy football, it's not nice having expectations at a young age, and can either work very well or go the other way completely.
It sounds a staggering work load for an 8 year old and I wonder what the clubs hope it will achieve?
I know nothing about footie, my kids play basketball (as i used to)...my eldest is 10 (in a few days) and has just got into the U13 squad of the local team....but our focus until he's 11 is fun and fitness. I know its a different sport but there are plenty of tales of people coming late to it and not being hampered....Steve Nash (2 time NBA MVP) didnt start playing till 14......MJ (possibly one of the best athalites of all time) got dropped from his high school team!
Just curious was sort of a leg up the football teams think an 8 yr old gets with such a focused approach over a more "rounded" sports development until a bit later?
I know nothing about footie, my kids play basketball (as i used to)...my eldest is 10 (in a few days) and has just got into the U13 squad of the local team....but our focus until he's 11 is fun and fitness. I know its a different sport but there are plenty of tales of people coming late to it and not being hampered....Steve Nash (2 time NBA MVP) didnt start playing till 14......MJ (possibly one of the best athalites of all time) got dropped from his high school team!
Just curious was sort of a leg up the football teams think an 8 yr old gets with such a focused approach over a more "rounded" sports development until a bit later?
Well while they are the ones that call the shots with regards to the multi million pound industry, I'd be letting them decide. Surley you want him to have every chance of getting there in football?
And MJ/Nash are two exceptions aren't they, I would imagine that a huge majority of other players in football have come from the bottom.
And MJ/Nash are two exceptions aren't they, I would imagine that a huge majority of other players in football have come from the bottom.
ShadownINja said:
I'm under the impression that due to the amount of money in football, the best of the best in terms of sports nutrition, physiotherapy and sports performance are employed so he's probably in very, very good hands. Compare it to the sort of training in a fitness class in a community leisure centre where archaic practices for things like warming up are carried out.
Or the alternative view is that the clubs take in a large number of kids, run 99.99% of them into the ground and then chuck them on the scrap heap with bugger all education.No doubt Rooney and Co get HRH Prince of Wales level of care (backside wiped, toothpaste on toothbrush etc) but an 8 year old who has a 1/1000 chance of getting a professional contract?
I would be more concerned to understand how the club will help your nephew keep up with his school work down the line when he is out playing/training when he should be doing homework
Yup. The number of serious injuries to these young players is quite shocking, although this applies to chartered clubs in county leagues as well where all the coaches have to be FA qualified. As Stitch said, the recruitment process does kind of resemble a meat grinder.
One of our local(ish) professional clubs also insists that the boys signed to them do not play any other football (so weekend matches with their mates are out) and also to refrain from a host of other sports and activities.
One of our local(ish) professional clubs also insists that the boys signed to them do not play any other football (so weekend matches with their mates are out) and also to refrain from a host of other sports and activities.
DocJock said:
One of our local(ish) professional clubs also insists that the boys signed to them do not play any other football (so weekend matches with their mates are out) and also to refrain from a host of other sports and activities.
Which seems odd for football - Golf, for example, I can see how the repetition of the swing comes ahead of generic athletic ability.....but i would have thought a well rounded athletic ability would help a footballer? (certainly up to age 10/11)Some great replies thankyou all.
Much food for thought as well.
His parents are not the money grabbing chav type so his best interests are 100% the priority.
Both parents are concerned & will be watching closely his physical well being. It is true that the club should know best but it's also true that they might not have the boy's interests 100% in their mind.
As I have said he is clearly a natural athlete even at this young age so he will appear fine but we are all hoping that he isn't doing any long term damage.
I will be watching some of these training sessions in the next couple of weeks but as I know f
k all about football really, I'm not entirely sure what will be good or bad.
However I will also staying with the family on his days off for a couple of weeks, so I will be able to see how he recovers the following day. Thanks again. DD
Much food for thought as well.
His parents are not the money grabbing chav type so his best interests are 100% the priority.
Both parents are concerned & will be watching closely his physical well being. It is true that the club should know best but it's also true that they might not have the boy's interests 100% in their mind.
As I have said he is clearly a natural athlete even at this young age so he will appear fine but we are all hoping that he isn't doing any long term damage.
I will be watching some of these training sessions in the next couple of weeks but as I know f
k all about football really, I'm not entirely sure what will be good or bad.However I will also staying with the family on his days off for a couple of weeks, so I will be able to see how he recovers the following day. Thanks again. DD
Seen many kids go through the whole academy thing with various clubs, both in the Premier League and lower divisions. All of them were great footballers, and every single one got a tap on the shoulder one day and released. Worth bearing in mind that just because he is playing for them now does not in any way mean he is going to "make it".
I'm not suggesting that you were implying that he was, just that he needs to understand the situation too.
I'm not suggesting that you were implying that he was, just that he needs to understand the situation too.
Tiggsy said:
DocJock said:
One of our local(ish) professional clubs also insists that the boys signed to them do not play any other football (so weekend matches with their mates are out) and also to refrain from a host of other sports and activities.
Which seems odd for football - Golf, for example, I can see how the repetition of the swing comes ahead of generic athletic ability.....but i would have thought a well rounded athletic ability would help a footballer? (certainly up to age 10/11)personally i'd keep the professional clubs out of anything to do with children playing the sport until they are in the U14 age group
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