Elite Mark Academy

I have been asked this question many times since setting up our academy - why choose elite coaching over recreational club football. The answer is you don’t have to – you can do BOTH. Some academies take players away from clubs – we don’t. We encourage football as the more you play the more you learn. We simply provide an extra platform for those aspiring players that want to work harder than the rest and showcase their talents. Don’t get me wrong - grass roots football is fantastic. It is great for understanding, learning and playing the game as well as socialising and making new friends. And there are thousands of players that have gone on and played professional football having played only for recreational teams before going to pro clubs and hopefully this won’t change. But as football has evolved and hence academy structures have changed so has the level that players need to achieve in order to try and play at this level. Although the smallest percentage have the chance of going on and playing pro - probably similar odds to winning the lottery - does that mean we don’t buy a lottery ticket. Ask most boys what they want to be and you will get the same answer so surely some additional coaching will only help anyone wanting to pursue this dream – albeit it is an unrealistic dream but does that mean we don’t let our children chase their dreams. Figures suggest any athlete that wants to master his art needs to put in 10,000 hours of hard work. Therefore how can extra training be ‘proven’ to be a hindrance or considered pointless. Surely the great coaching that recreational coaches provide plus additional coaching and opportunity will help the few that want to at least give it a shot. Surely more face to face coaching time will only develop the players which in term will help the recreational club. Is it not the recreational clubs that are being elitist by wanting to keep their kids to win games of football rather than letting the talented ones go on and fly the nest. At the end of the day it’s the aspiring boys and their parents that should decide on their own individual football journey – not elite academies or recreational clubs.