Search for new talent during half-term holidays
The AFC Wimbledon Academy is looking to work with schools and local league football clubs to identify the best talent in years two and three.
To achieve this, we’ve arranged Football Festival trials days during the August half-term.
We need your help!
To get the best results we are asking you (schools and local leagues) to recommend your best players to give them the opportunity to showcase their talents.
What is Pre-Academy?
Pre-Academy consists of various local development centres for U-7s & U-8s and an ELITE centre, which brings together the best talent from the centres.
Our ELITE groups prepare players for the first season of academy football at U-9s, where players train three times a week with UEFA standard coaches and represent AFC Wimbledon against other professional clubs. Any players that are successful on the day will NOT be affected in playing school football.
Why AFC Wimbledon?
You may have had similar approaches by other professional football clubs or been asked to recommend your best players before… so why AFC Wimbledon?
The club's tradition and values are based on our community. We are fan-owned and have no "sugar-daddy" to finance our programmes. Our dramatic rise back into the English Football League and promotion to League One demonstrates our values of punching above our weight, built on the support of volunteers and the community.
We treat our players properly and take care of their development. We look to recruit the best learners and most motivated players so our coaching programme can have maximum benefit. Being part of our programme will support your student’s development technically, tactically, physically and socially. Our own Head of Education, an ex-school teacher, works hard to liaise with schools to ensure a holistic development approach.
Academy Foundation Phase Coach Rob Tuvey said: “Those boys who are successful in our pre-academy gain entry to the full-time academy, which offers training three times a week, individual feedback every six weeks, games against other professional academies, and full blue and yellow kit.
“Young players become part of the family at AFC Wimbledon. If they are successful, there is a pathway to follow in the footsteps of home-grown talents Will Nightingale and Ryan Sweeney into the first-team squad. However, even if a young footballer is not successful with us, we feel that he will be a better player and a better person after spending time with our academy.”
What are the details?
Two of the following dates are set out for your students to attend:
9 August (5.30pm – 7.30pm)
11 August (5.30 pm – 7.30 pm)
Venue: KCL Sports Ground, Windsor Avenue, New Malden, KT3 5EY.
How do I recommend my students?
rob.tuvey@afcwimbledon.ltd.uk• E-mail .