There comes a point in every budding footballer’s life when they join their first football club. For each child, that will be at a different time; after all, players develop at different rates depending on a whole host of factors.
Knowing that your child is ready to join a football club can be a difficult business– but here are 5 signs that it might be their time.
They play football in their spare time
There’s little point in signing your child up for a football club if they don’t have that much interest in the game. Forcing them to play a sport that they don’t enjoy in a competitive environment is a waste of everybody’s time and worse, it could make your child unhappy.
A good starting point to gauge how interested in football they really are is whether they play it in their spare time away from structured sessions or classes. If they’re constantly in the back garden kicking a ball around or heading up the park to play with friends, then they clearly enjoy the sport enough to start taking their participation a little more seriously.
Their friends have joined football clubs 
Taking your child along to a football club where they know nobody else can be a daunting experience, even though you might think it represents a good chance to expand their social circle. If they don’t enjoy their first experience of football in a club environment, then it may put them off the sport for life.
Considering what your child’s friends are doing can often give a good indication of not only whether they are ready to join a football club, but also of a good team to sign up for. If nobody else from your child’s school has yet made the move to a club, then chances are it’s too soon for your child to do so too.
Placing them somewhere with friends meanwhile ensures that they will at least know somebody at their new club. If a parent you know and trust is willing to use that club for their child, you can be safe in the knowledge that it is a good set up for them to be involved with.
They understand the commitment involved
Playing football for a club takes commitment. Not only does your child have to be prepared to play matches every week, but they must also be committed to attend training sessions and willing to work hard under the guidance of their coaches to get better.
That commitment doesn’t just start and end with your child either – parents will find themselves giving up many hours to drive their kids to and from football. In some ways, you have to be even more dedicated than your child!
They’re emotionally ready for the highs and lows
A child is going to experience emotional highs and lows when they play for a football club. While virtually every child will thrive and enjoy that winning feeling that success brings, some may not be ready or know how to cope with the disappointment that comes with losing.
If you’ve seen that your child can deal well with setbacks and is willing to learn from them, then they will no doubt benefit from signing up for a team. However, if they are likely to throw a tantrum when things go wrong, then they may not be emotionally ready to join a football club yet.
They’ve impressed at a football coaching academy
Plenty of young players will have impressed at a football coaching academy before they join a football club and take their skills into match situations. Academies like We Make Footballers have links forged with local grassroots clubs, which makes that transition even smoother – when a player is ready to join a club, not only can their FA qualified coach from their weekly training sessions offer advice, but they can also recommend the perfect team to sign with too.
