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Under 7s Football teams - Recommendations

kidbrookeaddickkidbrookeaddick
in Other Football and Sports
Looking for some recommendations for Under 7 football teams in and around the kidbrooke/eltham area.

My eldest turns 6 in September and currently does training with JMF down at Long Lane. I took him to the Long Lane training session today and are thinking about signing him up with them but a few mates have said they aren't as good as they are hyped up to be. Although the training for their teams is also with JMF who I have found to be fantastic with their coaching so far. 

So thought before I sign him up, I would look for any other recommendations first n look into it. 

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    ValiantphilValiantphil
    JohnnyH2 said:
    kidbrookeaddick said:
    Looking for some recommendations for Under 7 football teams in and around the kidbrooke/eltham area.

    My eldest turns 6 in September and currently does training with JMF down at Long Lane. I took him to the Long Lane training session today and are thinking about signing him up with them but a few mates have said they aren't as good as they are hyped up to be. Although the training for their teams is also with JMF who I have found to be fantastic with their coaching so far. 

    So thought before I sign him up, I would look for any other recommendations first n look into it. 
    At that age group take him where he will be happy, e.g. wherever his mates play
    I have coached lots of junior teams in my time and this is fantastic advice. Spot on. 
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    SwisdomSwisdom
    Just go where he has fun

    ny son is  7 and I see so many dads that want their son to be their meal ticket. They go barmy on the sidelines and it’s ridiculous.
    let your kid have fun - that’s all that matters
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    Athletico CharltonAthletico Charlton
    Definitely take him to where it is fun and where the training is most focussed on skill with no focus at all on winning.  My lad has just finished his U7 season where he played for a club which was the opposite (coaches having a go at the ref each game, so focused on winning they would not ever sub the best 3 players etc).  It was awful. 
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    kidbrookeaddickkidbrookeaddick
    Thanks for your advice. Thats one of the reasons we were going to stick with Long Lane, he enjoys the training and his friends hes already hot from JMF so probably best to stick with that
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    ElthamaddickElthamaddick
    definitely let him play with his mates, all about enjoying it at that age. 

    my daughter played at Long Lane and left after half a season, their U12's girls team has 3 coaches and they run it like a professional outfit - it's ridiculous and drove me mental how much they shouted at the girls, luckily she got fed up with it before I pulled her out of there - I bit my tongue on more than a few occasions.

    Both my girls now play at Crayford Arrows, cracking club and they ensure all the kids play enough football. It's not all about winning at that age, they just all want to feel part of a team and that they contribute.
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    GarrymanilowGarrymanilow
    Raith_C_Chattonell said:
    One of my boys when aged 7 had to undertake selection trials to join a team. 

    He then went on to stand on the touch line for the best part of the season until one day the manager called him on.  The ref looked at his watch and told our manager, 'You've gotta be joking, there's less than a minute left'.  My boy (the most even tempered kid you could wish to meet), took off his shirt, threw it down in front of him, walked over it and never returned to competitive football again. That was over 25 years ago.

    I kinda guessed that the manager would phone me, and having already had the discussion with my lad I was prepared for him.  He, as I predicted offered the next game to my boy.  However, my kid was absolutely steadfast that he didn't want to return.  I gave the manager my views about adults who didn't allow children to play, about the utter futility on the emphasis on winning at any cost at the age of seven especially over the education of learning the game and having fun.  To make matters worse games at that time were played on oversized pitches with oversized goals, and it seemed to me that praise was heaped on any kid who could simply kick the ball up the field a decent distance. Utter madness. 

    I have felt a bit guilty over the years that I didn't devote more time to coaxing my lad back, but it was a tough time for me.  I had recently been widowed, had three kids to bring up and a full time job.  Time was not on my side.  He has at least been a Charlton season ticket holder in the intervening years.

    Glad you're sticking to where he's happy @kidbrookeaddick! 

      
    When I was about that age I played for a local team. The manager left and was replaced by one of the dads. The new manager didn't like my dad very much, so he used to have me stand on the sidelines for most of the game then sometimes, just because he knew it was upsetting, he'd bring me on, then take me off the next time the ball went out of play. Might be a decent few minutes, might be 30 seconds. On one occasion he said he might bring me on, but in goal. I was a striker. It got to a point where the other parents started giving him grief over how he was treating me but he made it clear he was it wasn't changing. I left the team after that and found a new one, but I think about that still sometimes, and I'll be 30 in a couple of weeks. Luckily he didn't dampen my desire to play football, but as you can see it's had an effect on me all that time later. Basically, what I'm saying is don't feel bad that you couldn't get your son playing again, stuff like that will really sour you on something at that age and there's nothing you can do; I'm fortunate that for me it just turned me against people called Andy.

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    JustafanJustafan
    My advice on this would be find your boy a team where he is wanted and needed
    basically don’t try and play for a team who are above his level.
    parents will to win normally comes before boys happiness in just playing football
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    EastTerraceEastTerrace
    My eldest (10) has played for Hayden for 18 months, he had been training with Eltham Lions but they had too many for the team anyway.
    The other half looked on the Selkent League website for players wanted and found Hayden. Although a friend joined the same time as him, he gets on well with the other lads, who dont go to his school, which is actually quite nice.

    Although we love to win, the coach is mainly concerned with developing the children’s footballing abilities.
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    Its_Hamer_TimeIts_Hamer_Time
    EastTerrace said:
    My eldest (10) has played for Hayden for 18 months, he had been training with Eltham Lions but they had too many for the team anyway.
    The other half looked on the Selkent League website for players wanted and found Hayden. Although a friend joined the same time as him, he gets on well with the other lads, who dont go to his school, which is actually quite nice.

    Although we love to win, the coach is mainly concerned with developing the children’s footballing abilities.
    Hayden are a really good outfit actually. I was involved in coaching kids football for Phoenix Sports over a couple of years and they were really good to be with. 
    Everyone has hit the nail on the head though, it should be where he feels comfortable and enjoys his football, there are too many coaches or parents that value a win over the development of the child and it's sad to see! The enjoyment of coaching was always seeing how the boys develop a part of their game, or even something as simple as mastering a 5 yard pass with their weaker foot, it all made doing it worthwhile. 

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    kidbrookeaddickkidbrookeaddick
    Thanks for all your comments.

    I,like you all have said, just want him to be happy and enjoy himself. I know he will be happy at long lane whilst he is training with JMF, as he already trains with them on another day, i just hope he will be happy with the Long Lane side of things when it comes to games and hope that is involved with the matches as he loves football so much. Obviously I want him to do well for his own benefit but his happiness is most important to me and my wife.

    Was just a bit wary as had heard a few things about Long Lane being pushy and only interested in results but I'm hoping if anything thats more at an older stage and he can continue to progress now and move clubs later on if needed
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    MuttleyCAFCMuttleyCAFC
    I wouldn't have him playing in a team at six. There is lots of time for that. Far better to find a soccer school that teaches the skills and basics of the game. Trials for six year olds is obscene and if there are clubs out there doing that, steer well clear. Get him skilled up, loving the game.
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