Football Development Programme

Much more than just a football coaching course! EduKick Football Academy will help you to be the best player and the best person that you can be: – Be coached by UEFA qualified coaches – Earn the chance to trial with Spanish & Portuguese professional clubs – Develop leadership and life skills as you learn how to coach – Learn the best route into professional football whilst also planning an alternative career pathway At EduKick Football academy England we know exactly how difficult it is to make it a professional footballer. That’s why we give you the best support possible to be the best player that you can be. You may dream of signing for a top club. You want to do everything that you can to make that happen. We share your passion, but we know how hard this journey can be. That means at EduKick Manchester we will also guide you towards building a “Plan B”.

Leadership

Life Skills

Football Coaching skills

Well-Being

Career Planning

Educational Pathways

Resilience

Mindfulness

Critical Thinking

“It’s great to have that focused approach and passion towards a sport, but because of the competition, a plan B is extremely important” Siddhesh, India.

What will you do if you don't make it as a pro player? Our UEFA qualified coaches will provide you with the best opportunities for success, whether as a professional player or by helping you work towards alternative careers outside of professional sport. At EduKick we care about you as a person, not just as a player.

The EduKick Coaching Panel

Sitting twice a year, once in December and again in June, our panel will consider the merits of each EduKick student player who has: 1 submitted a complete player profile 2 consistently demonstrated the correct mental attitude and displayed good character at all times 3 engaged in all classroom tasks and activities 4 demonstrated appropriately high football skills and fitness The Panel will then decide whether to recommend the player attends professional football club trials in Portugal or Spain. The Panel will consist of the EduKick senior coaching team.

Possible Outcomes (from this course):

Educational Pathways

A selection of academic courses + EduKick football academy, leading to UK university entrance, are available with our two partner boarding schools.

US Soccer Scholarship

Working with EduKick specialist partner agency; “Soccer Assist”, players can apply for funded / partially funded places at US colleges and universities.

Professional club trials in Spain or Portugal

EduKick has partnerships with academies in both Spain and Portugal who can set up trials for players with all level of national league clubs.

Football Opportunities in the player’s home country

Using a player’s online profile, players may be advised to trial for professional teams in their home country.

Programme Information:

International student players between 16 and 19 years of age are welcome to apply.

What’s included:

10 hours per week football coaching
Match play (subject to availability in the closed season)
Classroom based sessions led by EduKick coaching staff
Supervised creation of an individual player profile / career cv
Entry to “The EduKick Coaching Panel” – opportunities for pro club trials, US soccer scholarships, further or higher education
EduKick kit pack: 2 training kits (shirt, shorts, socks), 1 tracksuit, 1 red polo shirt
Gym membership
Standard homestay accommodation
Airport transfers on arrival and departure (Manchester airport)
Registration fees

Accommodation:

Students aged 16 or 17 years of age must stay with one of the schools approved homestay providers. Single room, shared bathroom, full board at the weekend, half board from Monday to Friday. Students aged 18 or 19 years may choose to stay either with a homestay provider or in the self-catering student residence.

Dates:

Minimum course duration is 2 weeks. Start any Monday from: Monday 5th July 2021 Finish any Saturday. Final day Saturday 28th August 2021

Sample timetable – Summer 2021

Further Information on Classroom Based Sessions:

Career & Study Guidance: creating a player CV/Portfolio

Coaching staff will provide guidance to all students to help them to create an online personal player profile. This will help them to present themselves well to scouts as well as being obligatory for those players wishing to enter the “EduKick Player Panel”. This will involve collecting and editing video footage from the Academy's VEO video system and creating an engaging personal statement. The player portfolio will also be useful for student players planning academic studies for university admission. The coaching staff will describe the difficulties faced in signing a professional football contract. For this reason the staff will also present information about other careers in the sporting world.

Psychology for Football and Positive Mental Health Strategies

Understanding the aspects of sports psychology is the key to competing successfully at the top level. Our coaches will introduce various sports psychology topics and then develop the lesson into an open class discussion. Various psychological challenges experienced by footballers and strategies to deal with them, illustrated by direct examples, will be covered. Having the necessary resilience for all that football and life throw at you, is an essential key life skill and is also covered in these sessions.

The demands of professional football & planning an alternative career

The EduKick senior coaching staff have got first-hand experience of working in / playing for professional football clubs. Here they will share the stresses and challenges the sport can demand of a player. These sessions are designed to provide a real and honest insight into what is involved in making it as a professional player and to prepare an alternative career path if one does not manage to achieve their goal. Having a valid “plan B” is essential. These sessions highlight why and start the process of planning one.

An introduction to football coaching

These sessions will provide the foundations of coaching sport, specifically football. The EduKick coaches will highlight the qualities needed to become an effective coach and leader. The contemporary coach is able to inspire others and communicate clearly and effectively, which are valuable qualities for life, even outside of football. As student players become comfortable with leadership they will in turn learn how to instils confidence in a team or group. In addition, EduKick student players will learn how to keep athletes safe by assessing risk and devising strategies to manage that.

Constructive criticism skills in the context of VEO video highlights

During these sessions student players will not only have the opportunity to analyze play from their own match play, but also to learn how to receive constructive criticism from their coaches and peers. They will learn to reflect upon and evaluate their performance in order to continue to develop as a player and as a person. Reviewing performance and revising behavior are key skills that will set young players in good stead in the world of work as well as in sport and education. Student players will subsequently also build up a library of edited highlights to enhance their online player profiles.