Everything matters: The importance of shared understanding to holistically support the psycho-social needs of academy footballers

Abstract

Elite youth sport environments present unique psychological and social challenges as well as physical challenges to young athletes. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the impact of the psychological and social context across sport including elite football development. However, relatively little has been shared about how these ideas can be put into practice in real world football academies. This paper aims to illustrate concepts and values that underpin the psychological and social environment in a premier league football academy. It describes the work of the academies ‘psych-social team’ (PST), who work with, and within, the wider academy. The aims of the PST are to integrate these ideas across the whole multidisciplinary team (MDT) to create an environment that is both safe and psychologically informed to enhance performance and development of young players. By sharing this developing model, we hope to spark discussion, and collaboration across football about how best to create practical and operational solutions to holistic psychological and social development.