Grass Roots Football In The Uk - Does Anyone Care?
I have played football at variously levels for nearly 20 years. From kicking a ball on the streets of Liverpool with my mates as far back as I can remember to winning cup finals with man of the match displays, football has always been there for me no matter what.
It always provided an escape from the tough realities of life growing up in Liverpool but also gave me the confidence to deal with those realities off the pitch. It gave me a confidence that made me feel accepted and respected among my mates and ultimately saved me from a worse fate than some of the people that I grew up with.
It was just a shame that the facilities and mentors that were available back then weren't enough to take me to that next level to become a pro and its still the same today.
Its all too easy for the talented younsters of today to slip into the 'cool' world of drinking and taking drugs and generally messing up their futures before they realise its too late. We need to make it easier, and cooler, for the youth to develop their talents in football and to provide them with the best possible opportunity to make it into the high earning world of the professional game.
The chances are that even if they don't 'make it' by the time they are adults they will have developed the confidence and discipline to become valuble members of society, and healthier ones at that!
So what are the areas that need improving in grass roots football today? Well from my experience the biggest thing thats stands out is the lack of quality in the playing surfaces, in particular turf pitches. Footballers require a good playing surface to be able properly develop their skills within the game and this is almost impossible when you playing in a mud bath and injuries become more common when games are played on a bad pitch.
The British weather plays a big part in this but I don't think that this an acceptable excuse. I believe that the local councils should take more responsibility for the football pitches in their areas. Investments into proper drainage systems and grounds keepers would go a long way to improving things and there are charitable companies such as the Football Foundation that allow clubs to apply for community grants that can be used for improving pitches and changing facilities amongst other things.
I think schools have a massive responsibity to play a big part in spotting the talents in their students and encouraging them and providing the right opportunities for them to develop that talent to the maximum. They should forge better relationships with the local professional teams who have the resources to provide the training that will help them to do just that.
Companies such as Footinet, a social network for footballers, are aiming to provide young and older players alike with the opportunity to develop their talents in football and to make it into the pro game and also to improve facilities across the board, are a welcome addition to the world of the grass roots football.
In short everyone has to make the effort and do their part to ensure that we don't let amateur football slip any further down the slope than it already has. We all have a part to play, the question is -who's going to go first?
It always provided an escape from the tough realities of life growing up in Liverpool but also gave me the confidence to deal with those realities off the pitch. It gave me a confidence that made me feel accepted and respected among my mates and ultimately saved me from a worse fate than some of the people that I grew up with.
It was just a shame that the facilities and mentors that were available back then weren't enough to take me to that next level to become a pro and its still the same today.
Its all too easy for the talented younsters of today to slip into the 'cool' world of drinking and taking drugs and generally messing up their futures before they realise its too late. We need to make it easier, and cooler, for the youth to develop their talents in football and to provide them with the best possible opportunity to make it into the high earning world of the professional game.
The chances are that even if they don't 'make it' by the time they are adults they will have developed the confidence and discipline to become valuble members of society, and healthier ones at that!
So what are the areas that need improving in grass roots football today? Well from my experience the biggest thing thats stands out is the lack of quality in the playing surfaces, in particular turf pitches. Footballers require a good playing surface to be able properly develop their skills within the game and this is almost impossible when you playing in a mud bath and injuries become more common when games are played on a bad pitch.
The British weather plays a big part in this but I don't think that this an acceptable excuse. I believe that the local councils should take more responsibility for the football pitches in their areas. Investments into proper drainage systems and grounds keepers would go a long way to improving things and there are charitable companies such as the Football Foundation that allow clubs to apply for community grants that can be used for improving pitches and changing facilities amongst other things.
I think schools have a massive responsibity to play a big part in spotting the talents in their students and encouraging them and providing the right opportunities for them to develop that talent to the maximum. They should forge better relationships with the local professional teams who have the resources to provide the training that will help them to do just that.
Companies such as Footinet, a social network for footballers, are aiming to provide young and older players alike with the opportunity to develop their talents in football and to make it into the pro game and also to improve facilities across the board, are a welcome addition to the world of the grass roots football.
In short everyone has to make the effort and do their part to ensure that we don't let amateur football slip any further down the slope than it already has. We all have a part to play, the question is -who's going to go first?