Junior Development

In September 2011 Hexham Football Club will launch a new junior development section within the club. These sessions are aimed at Year 1 and Year 2 children and will enable children as young as 5 to be part of our growing club.

Jamie Williams has taken on the role of Junior Development Coordinator. He will deliver and oversee the work being done with these age groups (U6s and U7s).

We want to offer younger children the opportunity to join the club because it helps shape the club for the future and benefits the players as follows:

• Opportunity to meet and make new friends
• Opportunity to develop key personal skills
• Opportunity to develop key physical and technical skills
• Introduces children to the game of football through positive experiences.

Early introduction and involvement results in better players In the past players have joined the club shortly before moving into year 3 at school. For some this has been their first contact with football. We believe that if we bring children into the club at an earlier age, they will benefit greatly from the extra hours of coaching they receive and will be better players in the future.

The more you play, the better you become

It has been calculated that players who go on to become professionals will have experienced 10,000 practice hours (training and playing football) by the time they reach the age of 18.

The aim at our club is to provide a positive and enjoyable experience of football. We also want to help youngsters develop into the best footballers and the best young people they can become.

A child who joins Hexham FC aged 5 and leaves the club aged 18 having played on average 2.5 hours football (training and game play) per week, will have clocked up 1,700 hours as part of Hexham FC alone. Add to this school football, football with friends, plus other practice and playing opportunities, and you can see why we feel the future looks promising for local footballers in Tynedale.

We will develop skills in an atmosphere that is not pressurised or weighed down by thoughts of competition. Players will be encouraged to make their own decisions, solve problems, take ownership and play without fear of failure.

As part of the junior development section players will develop their skills week by week through engaging practices and 4v4 games.

What Next?

The programme for year 2 children (2011/12 academic year) begins in September 2011.

The programme for year 1 children (2011/12 academic year) begins in January 2012.

Watch this space for further session details and developments.

For further information or to register your child’s interest in being part of this programme, please contact

Jamie Williams on 07734 920681

From 6th September 2011, every player aged 16 or over playing in affiliated football will be encouraged to apply for an FA Player Pass.

Not only will an FA Player Pass give you some great benefits, it will also help us all build a better structure to support the future of English football at all levels.