At the Grassroots level, there are several stages of training designed to take players with limited to no technical ability or experience with football to becoming proficient, precise players.
The Foundation Year Program is open to kids aged 4 to 6. This is purely a grassroots program meant to introduce the players to the game in a fun and relaxing way, with progressively more skills and technical activities being introduced.
This part of the program is operated in cooperation with the gym teachers of each primary school. One of our UEFA B trained coaches provide training for the primary school teachers to teach the techniques necessary for advancement of the participants to the next level.
The Development Primary School Programme@ NSC is offered to kids who have graduated from the Foundation Year Program. It’s also available for kids who are joining us between the ages of 6 or 7 to 10 who do not qualify for the League Programmes in terms of technique development and skills necessary for the League Programme. It is also available for busy kids who are not able to commit to a three times per week set schedule or in the instance that the League Programme is full.
This programme is conducted at the National Sports Centre as the facility offers a perfect environment for development unparalleled with anything other training ground available in Bermuda, and it is integrated with our sister program inside other primary schools on the island. The use of this facility is a part of what makes this a truly unique grassroots development program.
The League Programme in conjunction with the BFA and ABC Football Foundation is available for kids aged 7 to 17. During the first part of the programme, we have teams in the BFA U8 and U10 leagues. The emphasis during this period is to instill trainability in the players so they can learn to be trained properly and to develop their skills and an understanding of the game. The matches on Saturdays are used as practical application of the skills and techniques that they have been taught during the training sessions. This phase is to a large extent about building character and developing positive attributes and tools that will allow the players to tackle the challenges of the modern game as well as good technique.
All training is conducted by our UEFA Certified coaches. The BFA U12, U14 and U16 league groups focus on training to win, with the transition from 7 to 9-aside football to 11-aside football.