KCWA Football Training has been running since January 2006 our aim and purpose is to train and develop children in our community with football training skills and I have been training them for past year. I work with approximately 40 children within 2 age groups (8 -12) and (13-17).

I believe that we should encourage our kids to develop their football skills. Asians are under represented in this country. We want to help change this where possible and start to develop the skills levels for all our kids within our community. We need help and support of all parents & KCWA.

Within both of the age groups that I train, several of them have shown outstanding skills, some of them have adapted to the game and their ball control has improved during the course of the training. Our training session on Saturdays comprised of 30 minute warm up, doing stretch exercise and using cones, poles, for ball control and learning pass & go. Football is a sport that requires a multitude of athletic abilities; aim to make improvements in the following to improve your game:

• Explosive acceleration and fast sprinting speed.
• Muscular endurance and strength in the lower body.
• Muscular balance and high levels of neuromuscular co-ordination.
• Body awareness and agility, the ability to know where your body is, and be able to move it.
• Discipline to take orders and decisions, as well as putting the team first.
• Good flexibility to avoid injury, football players are prone to poor hamstring flexibility.
• Correct balance between your quadriceps and hamstrings, as well as strength imbalances between your left and right leg.

As with most sports, people forget to stretch prior to the start of the game. With football having sudden bursts at any point in the game, it is vital to stretch the whole body in order to prevent injury. After a gradual warm-up spend time stretching, both statically; then dynamically.

The Stretching area has warm up and stretching advice designed for Football, to help improve our game and prevent injury. What I point out to the team is to remember at the half time stage in a match, keep warm, and take in fluid and energy bars that you are used to, to help your energy and concentration levels. Keep stretching your muscles and if possible, learn how to massage your own legs to help prevent injury and prepare yourself for the start of the game.
At the end of your game, spend time again stretching after you have showered / bathed, paying particular attention to your hamstrings. Due to the nature of the game, you will always pick up injuries; avoid these as much as possible by
wearing correct protection and footwear.

Have any injuries looked at as soon as possible, as minor tears become major ones, resulting in fewer matches for you.
Take the time to train well, and you will get more out of your game!

I have also started taking some of the 13 to 17 year olds to my Sunday football (Adult game) to see how they can adapt to this type of game. I wanted to show them the varied levels of football skills that are being played else where. They seemed to be able to understand and respond to the endurance that is needed for this type of game, but more training is needed in certain areas, for each individual i.e. (pass and go) & shooting, but this will come with further training.

We are in the process of arranging some small football tournaments games i.e. playing against teams such as East Ham and Southall which is part of the Malayalee community,.

I would also like to see some of kids pushing further to the semi pro games or the league teams within the boroughs one day.