Where to learn
Getting StartedMost young people who enjoy football, will start to kick a ball around with friends at school, in the park, in a back garden - anywhere. Young children make up their own rules, but really they are practising the moves they see on television. Watching and then practising what you have seen is a good way to learn.
If you play football during games lessons at school, your teacher will introduce you to the rules of the game and you will practise some of the basic football skills (See Team Talk: Basic Skills).
Improving your skills
As you get older and you want to improve your skills, the best way to learn is from a qualified coach. Join a local coaching school. They are run through schools, through football clubs (professional, amateur and junior), or maybe by the local sports council. Ask friends and teachers about coaching sessions near you or look in the 'What's On' section of your local paper. If you live near a professional club, contact them and ask about their coaching schools. Many clubs and councils run coaching sessions during the school holidays.
The costs vary but can be as little as £1 per session. Holiday coaching schemes may charge by the day and costs for these range from around £5 - £10 per day.
Joining a Club
When to join There are thousands of amateur clubs throughout the country and all of them run teams for different age groups. If you are interested in playing for a team, find a club that plays locally - friends at school will probably know of one. Go along and watch the team at the beginning of the season and talk to their manager about joining. Most junior clubs will register new players any time during the year, but a good time to join them is at the beginning of the football season, in August or September. This is when teams organise their squads.
Teams
All junior clubs have a committee and each team in the club has a manager. This may be a parent of one of the players who does this work voluntarily. Most clubs have teams for each age group starting with Under 10s up to Under 16s. When you are 16 or over, you have to move to the senior league. Some clubs have teams for girls and boys. Teams have regular practise sessions with their manager and weekly matches against other teams. You will be one of a squad of a players. Most teams like to have at least 14 players in a squad so there are always eleven players and subs for all matches.
Membership
Clubs are affiliated to the local league and all players are registered with that league so they can play in league matches and competitions.Club membership fees are decided by the committee. Some clubs charge an annual membership fee that covers match and training fees. Others charge separately for match fees and training sessions.
Most clubs raise money through raffles and social events for their members. This helps towards the costs of running the teams. The committee use these funds to provide team kits for their players. Presentation nights are held at the end of each season where clubs award trophies to some or all of their players.
Local contacts
For a list of local clubs and contact names, get in touch with the district league secretary. A local weekly sports paper should have a contact telephone number in their local league section. Sometimes individual teams advertise for players in this type of paper.
Competitive Football
School TeamsMany junior schools and most secondary school run teams who play against other schools. Go along to training sessions to try for a place on the team.
Club Teams
Almost all clubs play in league and cup competitions. Local leagues are split into divisions and clubs are promoted or relegated in the same way as in the professional leagues. Matches take place weekly during the football season and there may be some pre-season friendlies.
District and Regional Teams
Talented players from local teams can go for trials to play for a district or regional area. These teams are often run by representatives from the local league and district or regional teams play each other either in friendly, league or cup competitions.
Exceptional players within a district may go for trials at one of the top amateur or professional clubs. Competition for places at this level is fierce and only the most outstanding players are selected to join a team.
Professional Football
All professional footballers have played at junior level to a high standard. Many have played for district or county teams and some have represented their country at schoolboy level. They are dedicated, highly talented players who work hard at their game. Professional players have the opportunity to play competitive football at the highest level - league matches, League and FA Cup matches, European Cup competitions, and the most prestigious of them all for the world-class players, the World Cup Finals.
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