Introduction
“Still going, starting at U7 and now U16 with a happy bunch of currently 18 kids. Hoping to see it through to U18. And we have included kids who did not get to play much at other clubs and kids who no other club would take.” — Stephen Kavanagh, FCA Member
This testimonial from our community captures something important about grassroots football. The coaches who stay the longest are often the ones who include everyone.
The Kids Other Clubs Push Out
Every grassroots club has players other teams quietly rejected.
The one who struggles with attention. The one who is physically behind. The one with challenging behaviour. The one who learns differently.
Many clubs find reasons to push these players out. “Not the right fit.” “Maybe try another team.”
These kids end up without football. Without the physical activity, social connection, sense of belonging, and adult mentorship that football provides.
What Inclusive Coaching Actually Looks Like
I think inclusion requires deliberate choices.
First, understand before expecting. Before demanding behaviour changes, understand what is driving the behaviour. Talk to parents. Learn about the child. Adjust expectations based on their reality, not your ideal.
Second, modify activities rather than modifying participation. Smaller groups for overwhelmed players. Clear, simple instructions. Visual demonstrations alongside verbal explanations. Movement breaks for high-energy players.
Third, create roles that fit different players. Warm-up leader. Equipment helper. Younger player mentor. Team encourager. Everyone contributes something.
Fourth, redefine success. For players who struggle, traditional measures of success may be inaccessible. Celebrate attendance consistency, effort in sessions, small improvements, and positive interactions.
The Long-Term Result
Stephen has been coaching his team from U7s to U16s. Nine years. Eighteen players still together.
“Hoping to see it through to U18.”
Youth football loses the majority of players before they reach their teenage years. Retention rates like this are extraordinary.
Perhaps the solution to dropout rates is not better drills. Perhaps it is environments worth staying in.
What Coaches Learn From Inclusion
The players who stretch you most, teach you most.
Including players with different needs makes coaches better at differentiating for everyone. Better at communication. Better at creative problem-solving.
“We have included kids who did not get to play much at other clubs and kids who no other club would take.”
Some became starters. Some became leaders. Some stayed on the bench. But all of them belonged.
The Coach’s Mindset
Three principles help with inclusive coaching.
First: they are not problems to manage. They are players to develop. Like everyone else.
Second: low expectations become self-fulfilling. Expect them to grow. Expect improvement. Believe in their potential even when results do not show it yet.
Third: it is not about you. Their behaviour is rarely personal.
The Legacy Worth Building
Some coaches chase talent. Others develop whoever shows up.
Both have value. But the coach who takes the kids nobody else wanted? They change lives in ways trophy-winning coaches never will.
Every kid deserves a coach who sees them. Not the kid they wish they had. The kid actually standing in front of them.
That is what happens when someone believes.
Want to create environments where every player belongs?
The Football Coaching Academy is a community of coaches committed to developing all players, not just the talented ones. Join 1,600+ coaches building inclusive teams. $1/month to start.