Football Academy for Children in London

OUR FOOTBALL ACADEMY

Our football Academy players are provided with the best local playing facilities and highly professional coaches, whose experience and expertise are of the highest calibre.

Many of the skills Academy players learn will stay with these children for life – including the importance of teamwork, communication and dedication. However, we also aim to ensure that they make wonderful memories during the hours spent with friends enjoying an uplifting football experience.

That’s why our Academies focus on high-quality training, development and competitive opportunities, for a diverse range of ages and abilities. Including both boys and girls, of course.

The football Academy programme offers a range of activities – from development squads to competitive teams in leagues for both boys and girls, and from Masterclasses to Futsal. One thing each activity has in common is a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment – and that big emphasis on having FUN!

OUR ACADEMY PROGRAMMES

LEAGUE TEAMS

Our high calibre and experienced Academy coaches help our age and ability-appropriate teams to prepare for – and compete in – some of the most exciting and active youth football leagues in London.

This has led to our teams earning a well-packed ‘trophy cabinet’ and immense pride in their achievements to date.

Just as important as the awards and trophies, is the competitive experience this provides to young players, along with the joys of meeting individual and team goals. They also gain vital life lessons, and the chance to enhance their skills on the field of play.

LEAGUE TEAMS - GIRLS

Women’s football is constantly growing both in the respect and audiences it attracts. Our Academies have been providing girls with their own route to footballing excellence and enjoyment for some years. By providing girl-only football coaching and development, we can prepare these players to compete in their own dedicated leagues confidently and with a high level of enjoyment.

DEVELOPMENT SQUADS & FOXES FIVES – FRIDAY 5-A-SIDE LEAGUE

Foxes FC’s Development Squads deliver professional football training to groups of children and young people, to prepare them for competitive matches in our League Teams. The development squad model also works brilliantly for players who have a passion for football – and who wish to represent the club in league matches – but who can’t commit to being available to play competitively all season.

Over the past five years, 65% of development squad players have progressed into our league teams following skill-nurturing coaching and practice sessions. 100% of squad players use this integrated development approach to learn new physical skills, grow their sporting abilities and awareness, and develop personal attributes and resilience.

For development squad players who want to progress their skills further and play matches, our Foxes Fives – Friday 5-a-side League is a perfect place to enjoy friendly but competitive matches. It provides children with a unique experience allowing them to create teams together and enhance their football skills through five-a-side games organised by our FA-qualified coaches.

Just like our other activities, the Foxes Fives League provides a positive, fun atmosphere where friendship, integrity and respect, and of course enjoyment, are valued more than results.

The League is open to players of all abilities and no trials are required to join. This means teams formed outside our Academies are welcome to register, to build match experience and new skills. We hope those players will progress to an advanced level of competitive play, by moving to our Foxes FC Development Squads and League Teams.

Find out more

MASTERCLASSES

For Academy players, we offer focused and personalised Masterclasses. These advanced football coaching opportunities involve limited numbers, to enable individualised skill development. Our Lead Technical Coaches provide sessions, including Marvin Sordell, former Premier League striker and Chayenne Kamaran, UEFA A-Licensed coach and part of Watford FC’s Academy.

Find out more

FOXES FC X PRO CLUB PATHWAY

Foxes FC regularly plays matches against the academy teams of local professional football clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea and QPR. We also have links with clubs across the country, including Southampton.

All players benefit from this excellent exposure to professional clubs and the invaluable experience of playing against top opposition. However, our players who display particular potential can move on to professional football club academies, such as Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham, QPR and Southampton.

Foxes FC Elite teams – who represent the club against professional club academies – are selected on attendance, effort, and performance at training and matches in the preceding months.

There is a good reason why attitude is valued alongside aptitude. Not all Academy players will be selected for youth teams at professional clubs. However, ALL of our players will develop disciplines, life skills and memories that follow them into whatever path they do follow as adults.

GOTHIA (WORLD YOUTH) CUP TOUR

This Gothia Cup – held annually in the beautiful Swedish city of Gothenburg – is the biggest international youth football tournament in the world, with over 1,700 teams from over 80 nations taking part.

Foxes FC has been participating in the Gothia Cup since 2017, enabling our most promising Academy members to compete alongside other top youth players from across the globe.

It’s also a wonderful experience for the coaches and parents who accompany them. They mingle in the exciting, international world of football, where everyone shares a love of sport, creating inspirational memories to treasure.

The Opening Ceremony takes place in the world-famous Ullevi stadium and emulates the Olympics with music, dancing, fireworks and the presentation of all participating nations. There are over 40,000 people in the crowd as the tournament kicks off. Then, tournament finals are watched by around 30,000 spectators and are broadcast all over the world.

This is likely to be the most inspiring, international cultural experience any young football player can have. They live the life of a world-class footballer for one exhilarating week.

The players who take part are selected with care, not just on ability and attitude, but also to meet age requirements within the tournament rules (players must be 10 or over).

TOURNAMENTS AND CUP COMPETITIONS

All Foxes FC teams compete in cup competitions between September and May. These are competitive and organised in conjunction with the league matches throughout the season.

When our league season finishes in May, our teams participate in several day tournaments throughout the summer term. This builds on the valuable match-play experience we provide throughout the year.

In the past, some of these tournaments have included Sandgate Youth Tournament, CB Hounslow Tournament, Explorers FC Tournament, West Drayton Tournament, and Old lsleworthian’s Youth Tournament

We also host our own Summer Tournament at Gunnersbury Sports Hub, which is open to all clubs for age groups from Under 7 to Under 16’s.

NUTRITION AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

Academy players benefit from the following.

Team and Individual Performance Analysis

Foxes FC has invested in the latest camera technology from VEO, to capture footage of training and matches. This enables non-judgmental and positive guidance and off-pitch coaching. It also helps individual players enjoy self-reflection and share their achievements, and shapes team dynamics and performance.

Nutritional Insights

As part of our belief in building key life skills, we provide insights on the foods most likely to support a player’s energy, stamina and general fitness.

Such guidance is supervised by our highly qualified Health & Performance Optimisation Specialist.

Strength and Conditioning

Opportunities are also provided for players to work on their strength, stamina and general fitness, developing attributes such as agility, balance and coordination.

Under careful supervision from coaches, this builds their ability to enjoy sustained periods of exercise, improves performance, and also provides fitness insights that last into adulthood.