Shouting From The Sidelines

What do sports superstars like Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant, Zlatan Ibrahimovic & Tom Brady all have in common? You'd be right if you said they are all leaders in their chosen sports but... Did you know they all credit playing a variety of sports as a child as a reason for their high level of ability in their chosen sport? This is something we have been researching and looking into for a number...

In this episode we discuss our recent experience of taking a Foot-Tech team to a tournament. We saw a few things which we feel need to be highlighted in order to give parents a a good idea on how to pick the best team for their child. We discuss: Why putting children into positions early is NOT the best thing for them longer-term How constant instructions from coaches/parents can actually damage t...

Life is generally quite stressful.   A parents life can be even more stressful!   Now we are seeing that kids are also becoming increasingly stressed-out with with everything from school to sports.   We sat down with Sophia Taylor from Apollo Nutrition who is an expert in all things mental-health, nutrition and stress management.   She shares with us some great tips on how we c...

We've been doing our bit to help girls football ever since we started. But we now know we can do more and this has led to our decision to start our first-ever girls only groups at our weekly sessions. In the episode we discuss: Why now? Why we haven't done it before? When it will start Enjoy!

Resilience is one of the most important things for our children. It will help them in and out of sport and there are ways we as parents can help. In this episode we discuss: Why you don’t need to worry about your child catching up at school Why comfort zones are so bad for children Tips you can use to help grow a more positive mindset for your child (and you)

This was a request by one of our members. She thought it would be good to know how and why we started Foot-Tech. Nick and I sat down to talk all about it including what still drives us and what the future holds. Enjoy!

Becoming a Black Belt means more than just fancy kicks and punches. It's about a journey of building confidence, perseverance, resilience and character. It doesn't just apply to martial arts, either. Creating this mentality in our children will help them now and in the future. But how do we do it? We chat to Ricky Lam, a martial arts expert and owner of Premier Martial Arts, who has trained 100's...

Joysticking is becoming more common in children's sport. In this episode we discuss: What joysticking is Why you need to stop doing it What you can do instead As always please leave your thoughts and feedback.

What can we say about John Farnworth? He is a prime example of what happens when you focus on consistent practise and hard work. John lived his dream of becoming a freestyle football world champion and has since gone on to be the host of Match Of The Day Kickabout (amongst other TV appearances) and has also broke several world records including juggling a ball across the Sahara Desert, up Mount Ev...

Glen Thurgood is an expert in making people faster and stronger. He has worked in professional football and rugby and was part of the backroom team when Northampton FC beat Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Cup. Glen shares his knowledge and explains why all children need to be doing some sort of speed and mobility training to help them in sport and every day life.

Lois Forsell has achieved more before the age of 30 than most do in their lifetime.   She won the treble with Bradford Bulls, captained Leeds Rhinos and played for England at 2 World Cups.   She shares her story and has some amazing advice for parents and children in sport.

What is it really like in an Academy? What does it take to get there? We spoke with Arran Horton, Former Leeds United Academy coach and now Director of Football at Visakha FC; a professional team in Cambodia. Arran gives some brilliant insights into Academy life, the difference between good grassroots players and elite Academy players and loads more.

Andy Barker has had the unique experience of many years in the dressing room of the one of the best Rugby League sides of all time, The Leeds Rhino's.   Andy was head physio during their greatest-ever period of success and has worked with some of the biggest names in the sport. He now works with the FA helping the international England teams from u15 to u20.   He has some fascinating insights into...

Bridie Hannon is the captain of Leeds United Women and is one of a few people who can say they've lived their dream - to play and captain your hometown club playing the sport you love. Bride talks to us about how she got to where she is, how playing against boys helped her, the future of the women's game and loads more. Enjoy!

Imagine becoming a World Champion in something. What does it take? How do parents help? How important is the right coach? We sat down with Liam Harrison, multiple World Champion in Thai Boxing. He's fought around the globe and learnt a lot along the way. This is a great insight into what it takes to become the best in your field.