This is a great game that is easy to implement into your session.

This is a fascinating article about Viewpark — a small area in Glasgow where trees were used as goalposts and an extraordinary number of elite footballers emerged in the 50s, 60s and 70s. No academies. No branded coaching programmes. No adult supervision. Just kids playing for hours, organising themselves, negotiating rules, resolving conflict, adapting to uneven surfaces and learning through trial, error and repetition. From that environment came players like Jimmy Johnstone, Robertson and Munro — footballers whose creativity, resilience and game intelligence defined an era. What’s striking is not just who was produced, but how. Scotland has struggled to replicate those eras in terms of player production — despite: • the growth of elite academies • increased coach education • specialist coaching companies • structured talent pathways Which begs an uncomfortable but important question: Are elite academies really the answer — or did self-organised play environments give us something we still haven’t replaced?

Here’s what that actually looks like on the training ground 👇 ⚽ 1️⃣ Freedom to fail What it looks like in coaching: - Players encouraged to try skills without fear of being hooked - Training games where mistakes aren’t punished with laps or shouting - “Risk zones” in sessions where creativity is expected Why it matters: If players fear mistakes, they stop making decisions. Development stalls. ⚡ 2️⃣ Rapid feedback What it looks like in coaching: - Coaching points delivered during the drill, not 3 days later - Simple cues: “scan”, “open body”, “play forward” - Using short video clips straight after repetitions Why it matters: Feedback works best when the moment is still fresh. 📈 3️⃣ Progression What it looks like in coaching: - Unopposed → opposed → game-realistic tasks - Clear weekly or block objectives (“this week we focus on first touch”) - Players knowing what success looks like in the session Why it matters: Players stay motivated when they can see and feel improvement. 📖 4️⃣ Story / narrative What it looks like in coaching: - Sessions linked to how you want to play on matchday - Training themes connected to upcoming opposition - Players understanding why they’re doing the drill Why it matters: Purpose beats motivation. Context beats compliance. 🧠 Key takeaway Gamification isn’t about points, cones, or leaderboards. It’s about: - Safe environments - Fast feedback - Clear progression - Meaningful context 💬 Discussion for coaches: Which of these do you already do well — and which could you improve in your sessions?

Year 6 fitness testing for selection or scholarships is worrying. At 10: - kids develop at wildly different rates - growth spurts can change everything in months - early maturers get rewarded, late maturers get labelled Fitness tests don’t show potential at this age — just timing. Tests should guide development, not decide futures. 👇 What are you seeing in your environments?

Most kids want to be footballers. Very few ever will be. That doesn’t mean we lower standards — it means we widen our responsibility. As coaches, we’re far more likely to help create: - future coaches - future referees - future club volunteers - future organisers - future parents who value sport than future professionals. So the question becomes: 👉 Are we creating environments that only reward “talent”… or environments that make kids want to stay involved in football for life? Enjoyment, identity and belonging matter just as much as ability. 👇 How do you make sure your sessions serve every child, not just the most talented?