“Never underestimate what your child is capable of.” —Perry Cocking

Children have a huge capacity for learning and natural energy. In years gone by, children would play in the parks and streets all day with only school interrupting them. Nowadays, children play a fraction of what they used to. At lots of schools, children are often not allowed on the grass areas or allowed a ball to play with during breaks.

Parents often ask me if their child is doing too much. As long as important things such as homework are done, and they are getting a good night’s sleep, then I don’t believe a child can really do too much. Quite possibly they are doing too much-organised football and too much travelling in the car, yes, but actually playing the game they love, it’s usually no.

I always say to allow them to do as much as their enjoyment allows and be aware of any negative impact. There are one or two things to consider, such as Osgood Schlatter’s disease, that can affect some children as they start having growth spurts, but, in general, I believe that most children have bundles of energy to burn off. You also have to be aware that burnout can happen, but this tends to be psychological, where a child has specialised early in one particular sport and, over time, loses the love for it or feels too much pressure. It’s important to point out here that I’m not referring to organised competitive football with all its external pressures. There are rules in place to restrict how much organised football a child can play, which are there to protect children and should be adhered to.

It’s beneficial to have a good mix of sports and activities to help prevent the associated burnout with early specialisation, but there are some children who simply don’t want to do anything else. This is fine but try to get them a good mix of training so there’s a variety. Perhaps add some futsal to their usual training or somewhere that concentrates on individual training rather than the conventional team stuff.

I know of gymnasts, swimmers and ice skaters who train every single day before and after school and compete at weekends. In those sports, it’s more accepted that early specialisation and regular training are needed to get to the elite level, but with football, it’s often frowned upon. Ultimately, you know your child best, and you should adhere to the signs that you see. It doesn’t do any harm for a child to have a break every now and again, and participation in a wide spectrum of different sports is important. Some sports even complement each other and are referred to as donor sports. Of course, a child should never be forced to train. I have written this chapter with children in mind who simply love the game and can’t get enough. I think it’s important not to get too serious about it, however much your child does. Their well-being and happiness are always the priorities.

This blog was taken from my book, Did You Win, Did You Score…? How to Help Your Child Succeed at Football and Life.

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