Training Hours Required
The European Club Association reviewed the practices of youth academies in professional football clubs such as Manchester United, Ajax and Barcelona, and indicated that players in Europe are training far more than the average New Zealand football player.
On average, European academies train as follows:
Team Training (Average volume):
- U12 and below: 41-42 weeks/year, 3x per week consisting of 4-5 hours training.
- U13-U15: 44 weeks/year, 5x per week consisting of more than 7 hours training.
- U16+: 45 weeks/year, 5x per week consisting of about 9 hours training.
Individual Training (Average volume):
- U12 and below: once per week, 30-60 minutes.
- U13-U15: twice per week, 90 minutes.
- U16+: at least twice per week, about 120 minutes.
Given that the players in Europe train far more frequently than the average footballer in New Zealand, our players will be at a technical disadvantage when they reach their peak playing years, stunting their ability to move forward.
With our academy, we train 2x per week in-season, and 3x per week off-season. It is expected that the players will have other training sessions with their club/school teams in accordance with their age. In total, they will be receiving a similar number of hours of training as the players in Europe, giving them every opportunity to excel to the level they desire.
In New Zealand, it is common to think "that's a lot of training for a child". However, compared to other sports (e.g., gymnastics, swimming, cycling, athletics, cricket and rugby) at the higher levels for similar age groups, equal or more training is often going on. Elite performance requires elite effort in any sport, and it is only through practice that good patterns of play are reinforced. This is especially true in football.
