7 year old son and football training

A question about : 7 year old son and football training

Hi guys

I have a 7 year old boy, and worrying about him not playing football. I took him football training when he was younger, but he didnt really seem interested, so thought I would wait, but never really done anything about it since. We played a game of footy with some other kids at the weekend, and he didnt have a clue what to do, felt really bad I have left this. I like to play football, but have not played for many years so not really thought about it. Just wondering if I have left it too late to get his confidence playing footy and getting some sort of football skills. He said after the game he wants to do football training to be as good as the other boys his age. Any one else with similar experience? I feel so guilty as a father for neglecting this as it should be a big part of a boys life I have contacted the local sports centre to ask if they have classes for his age with no experience.

Thanks

Best answers:

• There must be plenty of things (both sport and otherwise) that he has no experience of or skills in, so why are you focussing on football as being such a concern? Especially as you have said it is something he doesn't seem interested in.
• You seem to be doing this for you. If he isn't interested then let him be and ask him what sports he is interested in.
  My son actively hated football, yet daughter when she was younger used to ask for shin pads and football things.
• I am not looking for criticism on why I am doing this, I have asked if there is anyone in a similar circumstance
• My son went to secondary school so scared of playing rugby and we were told he appeared to have a real talent yet was scared of going for trials to get on the school team. Although very sporty he wasn't at this stage interested or particularly good at football. He enjoyed football age 5 and joined a local team but gave it up early to pursue golf at which he excels. We had a word with his teacher who was really good and almost gave him a special invite and just happened to be passing his classroom at the time rugby trials were on and he went from strength to strength loved it and played right through school til he gave it up of his own accord after too many injuries were interfering with his golf.
  Let your son experience a variety of sports and he may or may not find one that he enjoys. The main thing I think is he keeps fit and health so if he isn't particularly sporty or sport minded at least involve plenty of walking bit of chasing around etc etc
  Ask the local council for details of local sports clubs and whether they have taster days or months trial and things too. But do not try to push him into anything.
  Give him the opportunities Rock climbing rowing sailing running judo tennis badminton golf rugby cricket athletics swimming to name but a few
• lol, I could have written this. Look to a local football club or football school. I just started taking my 7 year old son to Goals on Saturday morning. It cost Ј5 for 1.5 hrs training & he came out of his first session Saturday morning really revved up & happy. Me & oh know nothing about footie, I actually can't stand the game so he needs help from elsewhere.
• umm, the standing there like an idiot stage. Put it this way, the last football bday party he went to he spent most of the time rolling around on the floor near the goal whilst most the other boys his age were doing what presumably their dads or football lessons have taught them what to do
  He knows nothing about the rules, who kicks when etc yet loves the game, even when he watches it on tv he has no idea what is going on. That said, as with most other sport, it doesn't take long to get the basics down.
  Where do you live, do you have goals type facility? https://www.goalsfootball.co.uk/
  Or how about local under 8 football clubs, they usually meet on a weekend morning & take total beginners.
• The group training he does is mixed ability & they split them into teams. My ds didn't seem fazed that he was in a less experienced team just happy he was doing it so don't worry about that aspect too much.
• I coach football for kids 6-10. The range of abilities is great, some of the 6 year olds are better than 10 year olds, because of experience.
  However my team are in the lower skilled area, I emphasise the enjoyment rather than how good they are. Yes the kids know if they aren't as good as others and sometimes it bothers a couple of them with "I'm not getting the ball" or "They won't pass to me", but encouragement when they do something right, or putting them in the positions where they are more likely to get the ball, does help.
  We won 2 games 4-3 and 2-0 a couple of weeks ago, last week we lost 8-0. The kids were a bit annoyed they let in 8 goals but they still ejoyed playing and have a laugh with their friends. They didn't seem to really care at all, they just like putting on their kit and playing football!
• Just to flip it around a little, is it possible he's only saying he wants to be good at football to please you, because he knows you like it so much?
  Football shouldn't have to be a big part of a boy's life.
  We had a lot of kids like that at my dance class - mum had decided they were going to be a little prince or princess when all they wanted to do was roll around in the mud
  Maybe try and encourage him into some other sports too? Footie isn't the end all and be all, even though it seems to be (ridiculously, IMO) treated like some sort of religion!
  HBS x
• I've not read anything in the op's post or tone to suggest he was projecting. My ds has no one in the whole family who likes football. But he wants to play. Kids pick up a lot from their peers & they don't like being the odd man out.
• Mine both did football and a friends son wasn't sporty so he didn't. It didnt really matter either way. Only problem with our local training was that the best kids were picked to play the actual matches so was a bit dispiriting for those not so able. Mine also did tennis, swimming, cubs (I list as a sport as ours was very physical) and judo. Some kids are more inclined to prefer cricket or rugby.