FAQ’s

About the Club & Centre Of Excellence

What age does rising stars football centre of excellence cater for?

We start with Skill School at the age of 4 up until the age of 16

What is the clubs approach to player development?

We focus on a holistic approach where we don’t only work on the football field, we also do other sports like Padel, Basketball and other sports that develop the childs Motor Skills.

Is the academy affiliated with any professional clubs?

Our primary partner club is Real Madrid, But we also have other clubs we work closely with when searching for talent, These are based in Scotland, England, Saudi Arabia and Portugal.

What leagues with the club participate in?

We will play in the Two Ocean LFA and all the tournaments that are accredited by SAFA

Coaches & Staff

What Qualifications and experience do the coaches have?

We Have a large variety of coaches working with us full time, 1x UEFA Pro License, 1x UEFA B License, 2x England FA Level 2, 1x Barcelona Academy Coach level 1, 1x COSAFA Goalkeeper Coach and 2x SAFA D license Holders. Our Sporting Director holds the Ajax Academy Manager level 3, England FA Level 2, Cruyff Level 1 coach and level 2 talent ID by the PSA.

What is the Coach to Player Ratio in the training season?

To each squad of 16 players there will be Head Coach, Technical Coach, Assistant Coach and Goalkeeper Coach.

How are your coaches selected?

The Sporting Director selects the coaches he believes are the best fit for the centre and that will give the children the best chance of making it to the highest level.

Does the academy have specialised staff?

Yes We have Pilates Instructors, Strength and Conditioning coaches aswell and a Physiotherapist

Training and Development

How often are training sessions?

Training schedule depends on the age. U14 and U12 train 4 times a week. U10 3 times and U8 2 times a week.

What is the focus of the training sessions?

We will train 75% of the time on the field, the rest will be developing motor skills at Volea Sports City and learning Tactical plays in the boardroom.

Is progress communicated to the parents?

Yes, every 2 months we will speak to the parents individually on how the child is progressing.

What opportunities are there for trial games?

We have many contacts in South Africa and Abroad to organise trial games, But we feel 2025 is not the year for us to start arranging these, As we need at least 2 years to install our methodology into the children’s style of play.

Facilities and Resources

What type of facilities does the Centre provide

We have 1x 11 a side astro field, 1x 5v5 astro field, 2x Padel Courts, 2x Pickleball courts, 1x Futsal Hall, 1x Fitness Centre and 1x Pilates Studio.

Are the training facilities Safe?

Yes, the centres are on private land which are both manned by full time security.

Does the club provide Equipment?

We provide 1x Training Kit and 1x Match Kit. The child must bring his own boots and on some occasions spare training clothes.

What opportunities are there for trial games?

We have many contacts in South Africa and Abroad to organise trial games, But we feel 2025 is not the year for us to start arranging these, As we need at least 2 years to install our methodology into the children’s style of play.

Costs and Commitments

What are the costs involved e.g Registration, Travel, training fees etc..

There are no costs for registration and training, the only cost is getting to training. For match days we have our own minibus. But all kids must get to the training centre at their cost.

Is there any costs for the extra like padel and swimming?

No this is all included and part of your development

Child Welfare and Safety

How does the club ensure the safety and wellbeing of players?

All our coaches and staff have undergone the Safeguarding for children course run by the UK football association. So they have a good understanding on how to deal with the safety and wellbeing of players.

What measure are in place to address injuries?

We have our own insurance and the local CMR that will come to treat any injuries. If the injury is severe then they will transport the child to the hospital of choice of the parent or guardian. The transport to the hospital is covered by our insurance. If the injury is easy to fix on site then CMR will do so and we cover these costs.

Is there a code of conduct for player and parents?

Yes there is and this will be sent out to parent once the children have been accepted into the centre of excellence.

How does the club handle bullying?

There is zero tolerance towards bullying, we will always give a child a warning and if he persists he will be kicked out of the centre of excellence.

Career Pathway

What opportunities exist for progression to higher levels of football?

We have many partners of rising stars ranging from Real Madrid to 7 tier in English football. We will assess each child during their time with us and give feedback on where we think the child could fit. Professional football is not just the premier league, you can still be a professional in Europe in division 7.

Trials will be arranged in Spain, UK, Saudi Arabia and UAE for children of good enough standard. Starting at the age of 15.