You’ve probably heard the stories about what playing in a professional football academy is like. The sacrifices that have to be made to make training many times a week. The dedication required by young players in order to make the very most of their talents, missing out on playing with their friends, studying hard or celebrating milestones.

Everyone seems to want to focus on the negatives of playing in a professional football academy, rather than the many brilliant positives that they offer.

We’re here to challenge that view with some information as to what academy football training is really like.

The sacrifices are real – but so is the enjoyment

There’s no getting away from the fact that there are lots of sacrifices that have to be made by young players and especially their families once they join a professional academy. Training takes place a few times a week and can be up to an hour drive away, so it does require dedicated parents to ferry their kids backwards and forwards.

But if you’ve got a kid who loves playing football and how is passionate about playing, then it’s all worth it. You’re helping them do something they enjoy, which is a great achievement as a parent. Hopefully their time at a club will also aid their development as a person and teach them a variety of life skills.

Players develop physically as well as technically

One of the biggest challenges facing players who want to progress from youth and development squad football to playing at senior level is the physicality they face. Academies focus on developing athletes, being an athlete is a key part of being a footballer.

Clubs are beginning to realise that as well as producing technically excellent players, they also need to produce ones who are strong, powerful, quick and agile. Players in academies are as fit as they can be, which is great news for their long-term health prospects.

It’s not just about football – you learn life skills as well

During a player’s early years at an academy, the focus is very much on football. They’ll be working constantly on the training ground to improve and develop the necessary skills to have the best opportunity at making it as a professional.

As a player gets older though, the focus will change slightly as clubs look to develop the mental strength, attitude and toughness needed to survive as a modern day professional. There is media training, mock interviews, photoshoots and lessons in social media, all with the aim of ensuring that the academy is preparing players on and off the pitch.

Those skills in dealing with people professionally and knowing what is and isn’t acceptable to say aren’t just applicable to football, but life as a whole.

Academy players become independent

Independence is one of the most underrated skills that being part of a professional football academy will teach a young player. Some players may move into new housing to be closer to their training ground or stay with a host family, in some of these situations, they may gain more independence as they begin to look after themselves more.

Think of all the life skills that a student picks up when they fly the nest and go to university. Football academies deliver many of those, creating independent individuals in the process.

You pick up ideas from other nationalities and cultures

British clubs have been mining Europe for the best young players for many years and although FIFA has many rules and regulations surrounding clubs signing foreign players, from certain age groups most academies are a melting pot of different nationalities and cultures.

Lots of young English players have expressed just how important that has been to them growing up. They look at how players from Mediterranean countries use diet to keep themselves in superb condition, or the hard work ethic of those from Eastern Europe who aim to use football to provide for their families, and what they can learn is endless.

In addition to this, they will meet players from all walks of life and backgrounds, with whom they will make new friendships and learn to interact with.

Young players can be exposed to different ideas and mentalities from an international band of coaches and teammates, making them more well-rounded individuals in the process.

If your player is talented, passionate about football and wanting to enter a professional academy - why not try a We Make Footballers training session? Our training focuses on individual development and helping players in their football journey through our pathways and opportunities.