Player development
The objective of the club is to develop players from a technical, physical, psychological and social point of view so that they are able to thrive in competitive football from U12's onwards.
We put the child and their needs at the centre of all activity.
Training should be tailored to encourage development of the player and their team mates.
Match playing time
Under 7s - 11s
The majority of fixtures in the Derby Junior and Derby Girls and Ladies Football Leagues are classed as non-competitive. To support player development, the match day squad should be given equal playing time wherever possible, even if it compromises the result.
Under 12s +
Fixtures are classed as competitive with results and league tables published on the internet. It is at the coach's discretion which players are selected for the match day squads and the amount of playing time given to each player. We will seek to actively manage the transition from non-competitive to competitive football through dialogue with the players' parent(s)/guardian(s), setting expectations on match involvement.
As a club, we will try to ensure that a player is playing with and against players of similar ability, wherever possible.
Example 1;
If we have multiple teams competing at different *levels in an age group, we will assess whether a move to another Little Eaton team will benefit the player's development and enjoyment of the game. This will normally take place at the end of each season where we would expect all teams within the age group to come together with players being assessed and teams re-formed. Any move will be in consultation with the child, their parent(s)/guardian(s) and coaching team.
Example 2;
If we have concerns that a player's development is being affected by playing matches (e.g. losing confidence), then we will consult with the player's parent(s)/guardian(s) about reducing their involvement on match days for an agreed period of time.
Example 3;
If a whole team is struggling or consistently winning, we can appeal to the league to move them up or down a level so that they are playing with and against teams of similar ability.
*The Derby Junior and Derby Girls and Ladies Football Leagues use past performance to relatively rank teams and create groups. This is intended to ensure that teams are playing against teams of similar ability.
