The South Woodham Ferrers United club ethos is a community football club that believes in football for all, to achieve this the club provides for children from the age of 5 though to adult.

The development of players at the different age groups is crucial to keep them enjoying football, developing their skills and maintaining their passion for the game in an environment that is challenging, exciting and enjoyable.

For the younger age groups the FA guidelines are quite clear, it is not about winning games – it is about the children enjoying football, developing skills, confidence and teamwork in preparation for fully competitive football at under 12 age group.

The FA guidelines covering each year group entitled ‘their game’ are available on our website to download and view as youwish. Football at SouthWoodham Ferrers Unitedshould allow our children to have a fun, tobean enjoyable introduction to football in an environment that allows lots of touches, shots, dribbles and ultimately more involvement and enjoyment in the game. To enable our players to have fun, make new friends and learn the game. Our challenge as adults is simple to help young people fall in love with football.

If they start this journey captivated by the experience, this vastly improves their chances of getting better. Our job is to create that experience.

In order to achieve these aims we need to have some guidelines which explain how children progress through the age groups at the club.