THIS month marks the 10th anniversary of Future of Football (FOF). Exactly a decade ago, FOF coached their first ever session, marking the beginning of a ‘remarkable’ journey.
Since its inception, FOF has continued its mission to nurture individual players’ development.
“The journey of FOF has exceeded all expectations,” says James Stapleton, who launched FOF in 2014 with ex-Melksham Town player and England’s record-breaking futsal captain Luke Ballinger.
“Today, we boast 400 active weekly members, with an additional 150 eagerly awaiting their turn. Alongside weekly sessions, day camps have often peaked at over 80 children in a day. We established our own team in the national futsal league, pioneered the South West’s first primary school football league, founded the grassroots club FOFFC and organised numerous residential trips and fundraising events.”
FOF offers sessions to players of all ability levels, from those who have never kicked a ball to experienced boys and girls from many local clubs around the Wiltshire area.
“Every player deserves to have the opportunity to reach their full potential; we believe our sessions do exactly that,” explains James. “We started out by supporting local clubs and helping them develop players; even though we have grassroots club FOFFC as our own pathway, we are still offering our sessions to all players that just want to develop their game.
“Every single player is on a different journey; some are just starting out and we love the challenge of shaping them into confident, creative players. At the other end of the scale, we have 16 youngsters who are signed at professional academies. This is something we rarely shout about but it’s a testament to the great work of our coaching team.
“Back in 2020, we had a young lad start with us at six years old; he would boot the ball from one end of the hall to the other; he struggled with coordination and he couldn’t dribble the ball. Five years later he signed with an academy and his talent is undeniably good. This is just one example of many. It is truly rewarding to see players develop over time.
James says FOF’s greatest achievement lies in the formation of FOFFC, a grassroots football club with age groups under sevens up to under 15s.
“We have an unbelievable group of volunteers behind the scenes that the club could not run without,” says James.
“FOFFC continues to thrive, promising to deliver great experiences to its players. The club was established following the requests of many parents. A group of volunteers came together during lockdown and made it happen. By creating a pathway for our players, we’ve allowed hundreds more children the opportunity to play games at the weekend. It’s worked out for the best and the club grows every year.
“We’d like to express our gratitude to everyone who has supported FOF over the years, from sponsors and parents to players and their exceptional team of coaches.
“We will continue to ensure that every player’s journey is filled with unforgettable memories and the right environment to ensure their players always love the game. As we embark on the next decade, FOF anticipates even greater milestones, with exciting projects on the horizon.”
For more information, please visit futureoffootball.co.uk or email
he***@fu**************.uk