“I’m really grateful to Louis and Graeme with how good they are with the kids. They are patient, caring and gentle. I think it’s important to recognise the fact that they’re the ones who have brought Joshua on when he didn’t enjoy new and crowded situations.”

Stacey Waslin

The Parent

If you are a parent, there is nothing more rewarding than watching your child grow and learn new skills. One of the best things that can happen to your child as they grow up is getting them involved in a sport. Playing sports provides many benefits for children, but it also teaches them valuable life lessons such as how to be part of a team, how to develop healthy habits, and how to work hard towards achieving goals. In this case study, we spoke to one of our Ballers Academy parents Stacey about her experience with introducing her son Josh to the world of football.

The Challenge

Josh was initially quite resistant when his parents posed various ideas to him as where he could go to join a club. He wanted to do tumbles and backflips and it seemed like martial arts would be a good choice for him. When the option was presented, it always seemed like a big hill to climb and he was hesitant to join. When the option of Ballers Academy was put forward, he saw an opportunity to join in with his school friends and so a stepping stone was laid for him and he took the plunge to come along.

He first attended Ballers Academy, approximately a year and a half ago, when he was just 4 years old. Stacey recognised that he seemed very shy and very nervous around crowds, which is usually the case for such a young age. The main aim for both parents was to try and get him out of his shell by integrating him with more and more and more people.

The Solution

Since joining Ballers, Josh hasn’t looked back. From the start, he’s loved every session. He looks up to the coaches and they have given him a new-found confidence. The sessions run weekly and it provides an opportunity for him to go and see friends on a weekend. Parents can also go along and watch from the side lines and see the progress taking place minute by minute and be sure that their child is having a good time. The sessions are scheduled for 45 minutes, however, the coaches usually let it go on a little longer for around 1 hour so it’s worth every penny.

At the end of each session, there’s usually a presentation ceremony where the boys have a chance to get the Baller of the week trophy, which they all love. It gives them something to work towards and a chance to get recognised in front of their peers.

The Results

Now that Josh has been attending for some time, he has become significantly more confident. He is willing to try more activities outside of his comfort zone. That’s partially down to age and it’s also down to the realisation that if he can enjoy himself playing football, he can be open to other things. He’s become a little boy that is always wanting to go out and do something and generally just has a crazy amount of energy, which beats sitting in front of a computer any day.

In terms of skill, his ball control and dribbling are much better now. One of the big surprises for Stacey was the strength of his kicks. She was amazed how good he has become with the ball, all of which he learned with Ballers. Given the rate of his progression, it’s only a matter of time before he can look to get more competitive and join a team of his own.

“It’s about making sure that he gets a good start in life and recognises what’s important and what isn’t – it’s about keeping fit and healthy whilst having fun.”

Stacey Waslin