Building on last week’s work, we focused on how to make the court feel bigger and create space for ourselves and our teammates. The court was once again divided into three lanes, with the middle lane being the widest. Whenever a team was in possession, they had to ensure at least one player occupied one of the wide lanes.

An added challenge was to ensure that every 20 seconds, the wide player rotated with another teammate. This kind of movement doesn’t come naturally to many football players, who are used to sticking to one side of the pitch. Encouraging them to move into unfamiliar positions was tough, but we saw some excellent futsal — players really embraced the idea of operating on both sides of the court. It was great to watch.

Players of the Week:

First Hour – Ivy A
Never one to shy away from a moment or an opinion, she brings energy, effort, and that trademark smile to every session. Today she worked especially hard defending the ball on the cone, using her whole body to hold off the opposition. Total commitment, great attitude, and always giving her all. Always a pleasure, Ivy!

Second Hour – Eilidh W
Big moment for Eilidh today, she finally made it over the halfway line! But in all seriousness, once she backs herself, there’s no doubt she can play. She’s turning into a strong tackler, and to top it off, she even scored a goal today! Constantly improving, always smiling, and an absolute star of a young lady. Top day, Eilidh, keep it up!

Third Hour – Mollie C
For the first time, she trained with the oldest group, and what a session it was. She started off steady, but once she settled in and took on some advice from the coach, she really lit up the pitch. Her ability to run with the ball is something special, we honestly don’t think there’s a better at it in the entire academy.
Awesome day, Mollie! Keep flying!

Final Thoughts of a Coach…

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been busy running a range of fundraisers to support the U17 girls on their upcoming trip to Italy. From cake sales to online raffles, it’s been incredible to see the effort that’s gone in, especially from parents, who’ve truly gone above and beyond to help the players.

All of this has got me thinking about what it really takes to run a club like ours. Nearly every grassroots football and futsal club relies entirely on volunteers. Yes, you may pay for sessions or matches, but those fees go directly toward covering the actual costs: pitch hire, sports halls, equipment, first aid supplies… the list goes on.

Someone once said to me, “With all the players at your club, you must be making a fortune.” The reality couldn’t be further from that. Just last season, we spent over £4,000 on venue hire alone.

And that’s just the start.

Behind the scenes, we’re preparing sessions, managing registrations, organising fixtures, washing kits, handling admin, and often stepping in as first aiders, secretaries, and sometimes even mediators or emotional support for players and families. And we do it all because we care, not because we’re paid, we’re not!

This isn’t a complaint. Most of us coach because we genuinely love the game and love seeing our players grow, improve, and most importantly, smile.

So, the next time you’re asked to buy a £1 raffle ticket, carry a bag of balls, or help with the kit after a game, know that your help, however small it may seem, makes a huge difference. It keeps the club running and shows that we’re all in this together.

Thank you for your amazing continued support.

Coach Chris