As the new Network Partner for Sport4Kids Beaconsfield Bucks Territory, I would like to introduce myself, tell you a bit about my background and passion for encouraging children to take part in Exercise and Sport.  I would also like to welcome you to a free taster in one of our wonderful toddler and kids football and rugby classes. I have run a successful sports coaching business for more than 10 years, working mostly in Primary Schools in and around High Wycombe. My team of coaches currently work together to instil a love of sport in more than one thousand 4-11 year olds a week. Our focus is of course skill development but we are driven to make PE inclusive and fun for all abilities. It is so important to leave Primary School with a positive attitude towards Physical Exercise and to set the ground stone for the teenage and adult years. It is my belief that sport not only benefits children physically but also in their mental well being. The World Health Organisation is clear on the value of sports and physical activity; "...... participation in physical activity can assist in the social development of young people by providing opportunities for self-expression, building self-confidence, social interaction and integration. It has also been suggested that physically active young people more readily adopt other healthy behaviours (e.g. avoidance of tobacco, alcohol and drug use) and demonstrate higher academic performance at school".We advocate introducing children to sport as young as possible, that's why we have toddler football and toddler rugby classes to help them feel at home in a sporting context as they journey through their childhood years and embed good, healthy habits from the start. These classes help them to grow in all sorts of ways whilst having fun. They develop core motor skills and build confidence - being in a sporty environment with their parents and a fun and caring S4K coach is just the best start to their s...

If you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, it's highly unlikely that they'll profess aspirations of middle management. Instead, they're likely to share their dreams of becoming the next Beyoncé, Steve Jobs or Ronaldo. The sky's the limit for many children and that's exactly where they're aiming.This leaves many parents with a dilemma over how much they should support these dreams, especially if a child shows particular promise in their interest — be that with skills on the football pitch, a keen technical eye or an impressive vocal range. On one hand you don't want to set them up for disappointment, but on the other you don't want to deny them the chance to achieve their dream.Of course, skill isn't always enough when breaking into the big time — luck and timing also play a large part in setting a child on the road to success. There's clearly a huge leap between local kids' football classes and the hallowed turf of Wembley — reasoning that can be hard to explain to a determined six-year-old. The good news for budding young footballers is the chance of being scouted from lower level clubs is greater than ever. Following the success of Jamie Vardy, who quickly rose through the ranks to the heady heights of the Premier League, it seems the opportunities for young talent to be scouted are becoming more prevalent.In a recent interview with sportswear supplier Kitlocker Tim Coe, chief scout at Crystal Palace, spoke of the importance of scouting at grassroots level:"We spend the vast majority of our time watching lower league and non-league football. There is a lot of talent and potential and there are a lot of examples of players who have risen through the levels to play at the highest level."Joe Purkiss, scout at Revo Sports Management, works with teams across the league and most recently scouted for Sheffield United's under-13s' youth team. Joe also told Kitlocker about the wealth of talent just waiting to be discovered in lower and non-league teams:"Sco...

  School teaching, where PE, Sports or classroom based is an extremely rewarding profession - but what does the anatomy of a school teacher look like? Provided by edustaff

Often, parents will discuss their child’s lack of interest in Sport and question why, but struggle to understand the root cause. Children are now growing up in a digital age and are getting exposed to Tablets, Smart-Phones and Social Media which is unfortunately distracting them from Physical Education. Furthermore, the government recently announced some astounding statistics on the increase of child obesity in England and Wales which is largely contributed by children not attaining a correct diet. There is not an easy answer to overcome these challenges of growing up in 21st Century, but as a parent, a large percentage of this dis-engagement can be down to parental responsibility in combination with the learning environment that the children find themselves in. As a parent I was always keen on my kids getting involved in Sporting Activities, both at School and After School. One area that struck me whilst taking my kids to a Weekend Football session was the unfortunate lack of engagem...

Father’s Day is approaching, but luckily for you, it’s still far enough away to ensure you have time to get your dad a really good present. If your old man is really into sport, you’re in luck: you have the golden ticket when it comes to present buying, knowing that a sports-themed gift is bound to put a smile on his face! What would we recommend? Well, any of these five perfect Father’s Day presents… 1. A sports membership Rather than buying him yet another sports-themed mug or t-shirt (come on, try harder!), why not get him a membership? If your dad likes to cycle, gift him a British Cycling Federation membership to earn him priority access to ticketed events, monthly emails, offers, interviews, discounts and more. You could also buy him a 12-month pass to his favourite football or rugby club, or even just pay his fee at the local gym for the next six months. Doubtless he’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you’ll win bonus points for a gift that keeps giving long after Father’s D...

On reading a headline in the Telegraph a few weeks ago, I stumbled across the headline and a story from Graham Taylor (ex-Watford and England manager).  The headline read "Don't coach kids too early, warns Graham Taylor remembering his school sport days".  Now, being the co-founder of Sport4Kids, who provide sports classes for children from the age of 18 months, I couldn't help but feel naturally intrigued by Graham's viewpoint.  On reading the article, the headline was somewhat misleading.  What Graham had actually said was that he felt that kids should enjoy football and sport by playing it "off the cuff" rather than in a structured coaching environment.  They should be allowed to find their own love for the game and develop a passion from there.  Completely agree Graham - too much regiment and too many rules at a young age can drain all of the fun out of sport for children - but there is a happy medium. Teaching children and toddlers foot...

Today, we went to our very first kids football U7’s league match. The day started well, getting up at the rise, all excited, nerves and expectancy in the air.I have to admit I was fairly worried. We were worried parents. Would we go to the right place? Would we remember all the kit? Would everyone get there? Would we be on time? Would we get our team instructions right? Would the kids enjoy it?And of course the biggest worry of all – the parents … not really ours, but the oppositions. Would they be nice? Stories of parent bad behaviour is rampant all across the media, we all know that it is painted as the scourge of English football. Even Gary Lineker has had his say and fill of bad parent experiences. Having read all the reports we had images of parents shouting at the players, the referee and opposition players and parents.Tom Spring the Explorers U7’s Team Manager seemed a cracking chap on the phone, “it’s all about the kids enjoying themselves” he said. Being the first time our kid...

You will all best know me as Coach Charlotte, and having worked as an Assistant Coach at Sport4Kids for just shy of 2 years, I am sure I have met many of you, especially those in the Windsor area and at St John Beaumont School. Those that know me may have also realized that I have been absent from coaching our kids football classes this summer as I have been volunteering abroad in Sri Lanka. As a Psychology undergraduate this largely involved work in mental health facilities and special needs projects, however I also took over a football program at a local community school. Football coaching in Sri Lanka was a far cry from my experiences at Sport4Kids. At Sport4Kids we are lucky enough to have the most fantastic facilities and equipment (despite Coach Adam always getting his dirty) although before I went I would never have considered having a ball each a considerable luxury. In Sri Lanka, I was coaching a group of around 40 children with 3 balls and about 6 pairs of shoes bet...

Getting Kids Involved in Sports Research has shown that sports contribute to the psychological well-being of all by reducing anxiety and enhancing self-esteem. Therefore it is no surprise that they are recommended as a positive addition to a child’s development. Why are they Important? By participating in sports activities in general, children’s social skills are likely to come alive as it is a fantastic facilitator to promote social interaction, cooperation, teamwork and friendship. Research has also shown how sports can improve problem solving skills, build self-discipline, respect for authority and team-mates, trust, leadership and coping skills. Confidence is a huge factor for children and participation in sports will only assist the development of character. Children with enhanced self esteem will inevitably be more comfortable in their own skin and therefore be well placed to proceed well in their early school and social lives.   Keys to Positive Development When choosin...

Panini Stickers, The Collapse of the Berlin Wall, The Owls returning to top flight football and off Course Italia 90! It just seems like yesterday, sitting on the couch swotting through my Panini Sticker Book as a 9 year old whose life revolved around football. Little did I know that one Team stood out and in particular one Player…. You guessed it! Roberto Baggio. The young Italian Prodigy who many tipped, would sit in the legends of Football could not have been more right! Seeing flashes of that magical goal against the Czech Republic (Formally known as Czechoslovakia) saw the start of a fantastic football career and inheriting the Number 10 Shirt at Juventus that was worn by the great Michelle Platini. Nearly 25 years have passed by, but it still seems so recent. Whenever, there is a World Cup, I always think back to 1990. It was a truly unforgettable experience and whilst it produced an incalculably dull final, we saw an abundance of goals and a flurry of shocking incidents which ...

Unless you live in a pleasant little cul-de-sac on Neptune, you’ll know that football now finds itself not only the world’s most popular pastime but possibly its greatest obsession.  The global enthusiasm for it has reached a level previously unknown, in part due to the financial benefits awaiting its finest exponents but also due to the sheer excitement generated from the game itself. A major bone of contention in the coaching world these days is how to identify and handle the greater numbers of children wanting to play the sport.  Equally important, is how to nurture those showing aptitude and talent whilst protecting a child’s natural enthusiasm. The Football Association (FA) has long maintained that children should be coached in organised groups from the age of 5 but those of us in the global football family who are aware of what pre school aged children are truly capable of see it differently. There isn’t a youngster that gives their coach a high five at the start of a k...

I never did get Ndaye Mulamba, Zaire's 9-goal hero of the African Nations Cup some 40 years ago. He was the one blank spot in my otherwise full 1974 World Cup sticker collection. To make matters worse, my doubles pile contained 14 Grzegorz Lato's, England's Polish nemesis. Each time a new packet of stickers was ripped open, I held my breath, hoping upon hope that the Zairian marksman would jump out at me. I even knew his sticker number. Sadly he never did, just a plethora of little fat Poles. I thought I had eventually laid to rest the ghost of Mulamba, but in 2002, the man came back to haunt me again at the African Festival of football, when a 2 minute silence was held in honour of his passing away. This was a quite stunning tribute to the Congolese veteran, especially given the fact that he was alive and well and living in Cape Town at the time. Ndaye Mulamba, a name I'll take to my own grave. Nowadays it is much simpler to finish your footy sticker book collection. You can access ...

Football is the inspiration behind one of the international dance shows at Lift next week by a troop of aspiring professional footballers from West Africa pulled together by a visionary choreographer Ahilan Ratnamohan. The Australian has been all around Europe playing in Sweden, Holland and Germany but has fallen in love with the rhythm and the ballet of football. His great idol is Johann Cruyff “The way he moves the ball and the way he creates angles with his body, its pure ballet” says Ratnamohan. There is a lovelly atmospheric compilation of the great Dutch master called The Art of Johann Cruyff. Try watching it without a tear of nostaligia in your eye. Ahilan has a vision of football as a dance and brings that to life with his productions on stage. His first was a 2009 fusion of football and dance called The Football Diaries. This week he brings his latest creation “Michael Essien – I want to play as you …” to Londons Lift festival. The dancers are not dancers by trade but as aspir...

Hello, this article is for mums and dads wanting to teach their toddlers, children and older kids to play football from the start. You want them to have fun, keep up with their friends or even make the school football team? Right, so how do you to get your child game ready?  Here are our S4K Ten Easy Steps to Teaching Kids to Play Football.It does not matter whether this is for your newly walking toddler or rampaging kids or your traumatized teenagers wanting to make it with their friends at school, in the garden and in the park. Our ten steps has something for them all.1.       For absolute beginners and toddlers, first introduce them to the ball and share with them the fun of playing with and kicking the ball. For Toddlers we tell them that in football we only use our feet not our hands. This might need a little persistence and good humour. Hold your hands up and say "Do we use these in football?" or "What don’t we use in football?"&n...

At risk of sounding like a disgruntled Liverpool fan (this may be slightly true), I'd like to take a minute to focus on the "parking of the bus" tactics that saw Chelsea run out of Anfield with a 2-0 victory last weekend.  Many claimed that Brendan Rodgers and his young Liverpool team were given a "tactical masterclass" by Joe Mourinho's outfit.  Now before we go any further, I am no hypocrite.  I remember many a time under the tenure of Rafa Benitez and even as recently as Kenny Dalglish where Liverpool were set up to "not get beaten" opposed to try to win the game.  Indeed, there is a time and a place for these sorts of tactics and the Premier League - with all of the financial ramifications for finishing near the summit - is exactly where one would expect to see them.  However, where does this "win at all costs" mentality reach its limit?  I would argue, in the kids football clubs.  Too often we see parents on the sidelines at football matches, urg...

In a week when Dani Alves, the great Brazilian right back, turns the tables on racist bullies, we ask why is children's football not racist and how can we keep it that way?Dany Alves playing for Barcelona versus Villa Real last Sunday was the victim of racist bullies who threw bananas at him as he was preparing to take a corner kick. Dani surprised everyone and turned the tables by picking up the banana and eating it in front of the crowd before taking the corner kick.It was a great way of responding and has brought widespread support and publicity in the media, social media and has been widely backed by fellow football stars and senior leadership of the beautiful game. I have always felt that reacting badly by getting upset or angry at the actions of racist bullies gives them what they want. They want a reaction, they want you to feel bad and they want you to take your mind off the game and help their own team. Dani didn't let them get the better of him and Barcelona from 2-...

While there is some merit in the long-ball by the defender,  up to the big striker, who chests the ball off to his partner, the modern game has changed somewhat.  In reminiscing while watching the Premiership years of 15 years ago, I have fond memories of a long ball over the top picking out Michael Owen, before he raced through and slotted home.  Indeed, there is a time and a place for "direct" football. This time and place however, is not at grass-roots level kids football clubs, where children need to be encouraged to explore their creative sides.  Being a full back is not the same as it was 20 years ago.  They have become more pivotal to the best team's game plans - charging down the flanks, whipping in crosses and most importantly - showcasing some intricate skills along the way.  Take a look at Everton's Seamus Coleman at the weekend - he was under pressure from Arsenal's Santi Cazorla on the right wing and looked like he was heading nowhere. ...

Competition is a complex thing for anyone to get their head around in the football coaching world. There is a fine line between having a healthy competitive streak that drives you on to want to achieve more, and taking things too far in becoming someone who has to turn everything into a competition and always wants to win. This can be difficult for children especially to understand and so some parents may feel that it’s better to shield their kids from competition until they are old enough to understand it. However, there are many reasons why competition can actually aid in the development of a child and cause them to excel in a variety of ways. Introducing a degree of competitiveness into their lives from an early age may be just what they need to help them succeed. It Increases The Chance Of Success In the right environment, competition in football coaching has been proven to encourage children to perform better than they would have done without it. This is due to many different re...

Kids football diets are often the topics of debate for busy parents asking themselves what stuff should we be feeding our children for football? Not only is it for nutritional purposes but also how do we get them off to good eating habits early in their lives.Honing skills getting tactically clued up is part of development but so is developing healthy eating habits. If our children develop a sense of healthy eating early in their development years it can pay dividends for a future healthy lifestyle in and out of their sporting careers.If we feed them with the wrong stuff then not only will their football suffer, so will our childrens physical development.So what foods should our budding Beckhams eat to aid their football development? With experts and government now saying that we should be moving more towards 7 portions of fruit and veg per day from their traditional 5-a-day recommendation, food and how we re-fuel is crucial to how we bring up our children and create the best of habits...

There have been so many studies and scare stories around the growing child obesity problem that they often get lost amongst stories. What is even more perplexing is that these studies and journo alarmists often use them as a pre-cursor to attacking junk food, or TV dinners, computer obsessed gaming teenagers, the large restaurant chains and those naughty supermarkets. Too much is made of finger pointing and what is wrong with society and not enough on what is the right thing to do as individuals. The greatest weapon against obesity is getting our kids active. Child activity classes is a great way to initiate their love of  excercise. To get them into activities and sports that burn off all their excess calories. Healthy, lung busting, chasing each other in the field and around playgrounds, gardens and even in the street! Organized healthy sport is a great foundation for a healthy life. It all starts with us as toddlers and our early steps in life. The more active we can make...