Thriving in your Academy

We understand that navigating the academy journey can be both exciting and challenging.

This resource is designed to help you support your child effectively throughout their academy experience.

UNDERSTANDING THE JOURNEY

The academy experience combines the highs and lows of competitive sport with the everyday realities of family life, friendships, schoolwork, and growing up.

A family commitment

The journey is not just about the young player. It also involves parents, siblings, and wider family members who provide support week in, week out. From travel to training to emotional encouragement, it is a shared commitment that can shape and at times, overwhelm family life.

A competitive environment

The academy system is part of a professional football business. Around half of players are released by the age of 16, and only a small percentage, less than 10 percent, will ever make a professional appearance, with even fewer achieving it at the club where they began.
Chris Ramsey: What a football academy is and isn’t!

Defining success broadly

While a professional contract is the dream for many, it should not be the only measure of achievement. Children gain valuable experiences along the way including resilience, discipline, teamwork, confidence, friendships, and memories that last a lifetime. These are successes in themselves and can support their future, whatever path they take.

A long journey, not a sprint

Development takes time and this can be a long journey. Recognising the ups and downs as part of the process helps keep perspective and ensures the journey remains positive and rewarding. Focus on what is happening now and how best you manage and value that rather than focusing too far ahead.

TOP CONCERNS FROM PARENTS

Many parents share common concerns about their child’s academy experience. Here are some key issues shared with us:

• The Juggle: Balancing football and family life, finding time for school, training, and family is challenging. Set a regular routine, prioritise school, and maintain family connections to help keep your child grounded. Remember it is ok to say no to football. Don’t allow it to overwhelm you. Emma: One day at a time Hear more from Emma here
  
• Keeping a focus on education: No matter how far along the journey a player goes, education remains critical for their success in and out of football. Work with school and the club to ensure there is understanding about how to keep up with work and exams and remind your child that GCSEs are key to a successful scholarship year ensuring they have the grades to do full time football and not having to do extra education work to catch up. Listen to these words of advice from a Teacher and School Head of Football, Grant Cornock who shares his years of experience working with students in academies and their parents.

• Pressure and Competition: There’s no denying that academies can be high-pressure environments. The competition for game time and the desire to progress can be intense. As parents, our role is to provide support and perspective. Encourage your child to focus on their personal development rather than constantly comparing themselves to others.
  
• Handling coaches’ feedback constructively: Not all feedback feels constructive, and it can be difficult to watch your child handle criticism. Encourage your child to listen openly, ask questions, and view feedback as part of their growth. If you feel feedback or communication is inappropriate in any way discuss with the club.
  
• Dealing with setbacks: During periods of injury or growth spurts or limited playing time encourage you child to be patient and support them to be resilient and see ways to use this time constructively for education, hobbies, reflection. Remember to encourage your child to let the club know if they have any niggles or concerns about their body. Playing through injury will only make the recovery longer. Establish this understanding as early as you can. Work with the club to manage overload, tell them about other sports, games and training to avoid injury.
  
• Preparing for an academy contract to end: Leaving a club is a reality of the academy journey, and preparation is key. It may not happen early but it is likely you will leave a club at some point in the journey. Discuss alternative pathways, so your child understands there’s always a next step, even if it’s outside their current academy. Start conversations early and help manage their expectations and your own. Remember, leaving an academy doesn’t mean the end of a football career.

ATTITUDE & EXPECTATIONS

It’s important to keep realistic expectations and a balanced perspective throughout your child’s academy journey. While it can feel exciting to imagine future professional careers, the reality is that very few players will make it that far.

It is easy to get caught up in stereotypes of luxury lifestyles, big contracts, and early retirement. Even when made jokingly, these comments can add unnecessary pressure and create unrealistic expectations. Children can begin to identify too strongly as “a footballer,” which can make setbacks more damaging and limit their sense of self outside the game. Instead, focus on what matters most:

• Help your child develop a healthy perspective on their academy experience.
• Divert unnecessary pressure away from them, whether from yourself, friends, or others. Challenge people to talk about other things than football when talking about your child.
• Encourage yourselves and your child to focus on what they can control, such as their growth, health, effort, and development.
• Think carefully about their social media presence, which can invite unhelpful comments or criticism. Do they need an account managed by mum and dad? Have you discussed what they are sharing online?
• Emphasise the importance of education and keeping options open for future careers, whether in or beyond football.
• By keeping expectations grounded and supportive, parents can protect their child’s well-being, help them enjoy the journey, and prepare them for whatever the future holds.
• Listen to mother of two boys who went through an academy Alejandra around her experience of a parent’s unfair expectations on their child. Listen to the whole clip or forward to 03:56 mins.

RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNICATION & CONNECTIONS

Building positive relationships and maintaining effective communication are crucial aspects of supporting your child in the academy system.

Tips for communicating:

• Establish respectful relationships with coaches, academy staff, and other parents
• Schedule meetings for important discussions rather than trying to catch coaches after matches or training sessions.
• Ask direct questions and avoid relying on gossip or hearsay
• Approach concerns with respect and openness, focusing on collaborative solutions.
• Remember to be a parent first, providing emotional support and guidance.
• Remember that coaches are human too and won’t always get everything right.
• Don’t forget to be kind to triallists and their families, your child may be in their shoes at another club, in the future.

Les Rowe (Father to Professional Footballer Emile Smith-Rowe): Listen to his experience of communication with the academy staff “Communication is key”

NAVIGATING THE BUSINESS OF FOOTBALL

Understanding the football industry and its complexities can help you better support your child’s journey.

Control the controllables
The academy system can sometimes feel uncertain, with decisions made behind the scenes that parents and players may not fully understand. It is natural to feel anxious or frustrated when outcomes do not go the way you hoped, but focusing on what you cannot change can drain your energy and create unnecessary tension. What truly makes a difference is focusing on what is within your control.

As a parent, you can:

• Support their growth, health, and development by encouraging good habits around sleep, nutrition, schoolwork, friendships, and recovery.
• Model resilience by showing your child how to cope with disappointments and view setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow.
• Build a strong support network within the academy, at school, and among friends and family so your child feels supported on and off the pitch and so do you!
• Stay respectful of academy decisions even when they are difficult to accept, recognising that selections and opportunities are influenced by many factors we may never see or understand.
• Focus on effort and attitude by praising behaviours like commitment, teamwork, and discipline, rather than just outcomes such as results or selection.
• By keeping your attention on these controllables, you create a stable, positive environment where your child can thrive. This not only helps them as footballers but also as young people learning how to navigate challenges in life.

Embracing the Journey

No1Fan.club is here to support you throughout your child’s academy journey. We offer various resources to help you navigate this experience:

• Discussion forums for connecting with other academy parents
• Live events and Q&A sessions with industry experts
• One-on-one support calls for personalised guidance
• Podcasts and workshops on relevant topics

Being a No1 Fan means being alongside your child on this journey, supporting them and also looking after yourself. If you are ok they are ok!

We hope this resource helps you as you continue to support your child’s football journey. If you have any further questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at here