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Parent guide

What do academy coaches look for in young players?

Use this question to understand how your child learns and plays. Here are practical habits to notice and questions that can turn coaching feedback into a clear next step.

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Category: Parent advice

The problem

Move the conversation from “am I good enough?” to “what can I learn?”

A parent may hear that their child has good technique but needs quicker decisions, better positioning or more confidence. Without an example, that feedback is difficult to act on. Asking what academy coaches look for can help, provided it leads to a development conversation rather than a checklist for selection.

Coaches work with different ages, roles and team needs. The suggestions below help parents talk about learning; they are not criteria issued by a particular academy. Your child’s current coach can explain which examples matter for them.

Explanation

Look at how the player solves problems and responds to coaching

The FA’s Youth Development Phase guidance encourages individual learning within a team and an environment where players can explore their game. It also recognises that children aged 12–16 need support as they develop. That is useful background for parents: improvement needs space to practise and make mistakes.

In a practical conversation, separate the action from the outcome. A completed pass might have been a thoughtful choice or the only available option. A misplaced pass might follow a sensible decision that still needs better execution. Ask the coach what your child was trying to do.

  • Receiving: what does the player notice before the ball arrives, and how does the first touch help the next action?
  • Decision-making: can they recognise when to pass, carry, protect the ball or change direction?
  • Team contribution: do they offer an option when a teammate has possession and react when the team loses it?
  • Learning: after a short piece of feedback, do they understand the task and try it again?
  • Confidence: can they stay involved after an error, with appropriate encouragement from the adults around them?

Practical advice

Four questions to ask your child’s coach

  • Which strength should we keep using?

    Ask for one recent example. If your child finds good receiving positions, understand what helped: their starting point, timing or willingness to show for the ball.

  • What is the next priority?

    Choose one manageable focus. For example, “look before receiving” gives a player something to attempt; “be more tactical” needs further explanation.

  • Where should they practise it?

    Ask which existing training activity or match situation provides the right challenge. Let the coach guide the practice instead of adding sessions simply to fill the week.

  • How will we recognise progress?

    Agree what the habit would look like in a match. At the next review, compare examples and the player’s understanding rather than only goals, results or a score.

Common mistakes

Common ways helpful feedback becomes pressure

  • Giving instructions throughout the match

    A stream of sideline commands can make it harder to know which decision was the player’s own. Agree a simple focus beforehand, then give them space to play.

  • Calling a quiet player uninterested

    Confidence can look different from child to child. Ask how they felt and what support would help before attaching a label to their behaviour.

  • Turning every mistake into a lesson

    Choose a calm moment for a short conversation. Ask what they enjoyed first, then whether they want to discuss an action they found difficult.

  • Using someone else’s pathway as a deadline

    Another player’s invitation does not set a timetable for your child. Keep the discussion centred on their current learning and enjoyment.

When assessment helps

When a football player assessment can support the conversation

If you have clear match footage and want to organise what it shows, a Path2Academy football player assessment provides observed strengths, development priorities and a 30-day plan for parents of players aged 7–16. Use it to prepare useful questions for the current coach.

The report is based on submitted footage and information. It cannot show how a child learns across every training session or replace the coach’s knowledge of them. It uses AI-assisted analysis, is not currently individually reviewed by a human coach and does not arrange academy trials.

Path2Academy uses AI-assisted analysis of submitted footage. Reports are not currently individually reviewed by a human coach and do not guarantee academy selection.

Turn match footage into clear next steps

For parents of players aged 7–16, the one-off assessment turns submitted match footage into a personalised development report, observed strengths, priorities and a 30-day plan. Read how it works and what footage you need.

Explore the football player assessment — £49 one-off

FAQ

Common questions

Straight answers related to this guide.

Related guides

Keep reading

More parent guides from the Path2Academy knowledge hub.

Further reading

Background reading on youth development. The practical examples in this guide are Path2Academy’s suggestions, rather than an official club selection checklist.

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What Do Academy Coaches Look For in Young Players? | Path2Academy