Parents
Everything you need in one place, so you're not chasing information all year. If something isn't here, use the form at the bottom and it goes straight to the right person.
What to expect
The first five minutes of every session are a warm-up with a ball, so arrive any time in that window and your child can join straight in. On the first night, a coach pairs your child with a buddy from the squad.
What to bring: shin pads, a named water bottle, a warm layer, and boots or trainers that suit the pitch. That's it.
Training is small groups, a ball each, and a short game at the end. Nobody stands in a queue.
How the academy runs
Every child plays
We are a no-cut club. Every child who comes along stays in the squad and plays. Nobody is dropped, and game time is never taken away as a punishment.
No rankings, no comparing
We never compare your child with anyone else's. The only comparison we make is your child now against your child a few weeks ago.
How game time works
Games at this age are usually three 12-minute periods. Everyone gets a real game. The players who come on to finish the game are finishers, and finishers rotate fairly through the season.
The hardest worker award
After every match the team picks its hardest worker, and Virgil van Goat goes home with them. Not the fastest, not the top scorer: the one who kept going when tired and got back up when knocked over.
On the sideline
We ask every parent to sign up to four things. They build on the Irish FA's code of conduct for parents.
- Cheer, don't coach. One voice on the pitch, the coach's. Instructions from the side pull children two ways.
- Praise what they do, not what happens. "You kept going" and "That was brave" beat "Why didn't you shoot?"
- Every child is our child. Cheer both teams, never criticise any child, and leave the referee to referee.
- The ride home. Start with "I loved watching you play." Then let them do the talking.
If a coach sees one of these slip, they'll have a quiet word. That's how we keep Colts a good place for every child, yours included.
Kit
Development groups: your own shirt or a yellow t-shirt is fine. League teams need the league kit.
Fees
Fees are different for each team and cover things like pitch hire, match fees and tournament entries. Your coach explains them when you join. If money is tight one month, tell the coach and we'll sort it.
Photos
The club posts photos of matches and days out, with families' permission. Children are never named in a post.
League basics
Children play small-sided games, so everyone gets lots of touches and lots of decisions. 7-a-side is non-competitive, so no scores are posted, and the emphasis is on playing.
| Birth years | Format |
|---|---|
| 2020s and 2021s | 3v3 |
| 2018s and 2019s | 5v5 |
| 2016s and 2017s | 7v7 The 2016s move to 9v9 next season |
Fixtures usually arrive early in the week. Venues vary. Your coach's weekly message has the details.
Safeguarding
If you're worried about a child's safety, tell us through the contact form below and it goes straight to the right person. Tick the box that says it's about a child's safety.
In an emergency, call 999.
Contact the club
Questions, worries, ideas. We'd much rather hear early than find out in March.
Sent
Thanks. Your message is with the club and someone will come back to you.