Ringwood U18s
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Ringwood U18s FOOTBALL CLUB
The Ringwood Way – Developing the U18s
History
I have been involved at Ringwood Town FC since moving over from Holt Youth FC in 2012 when , working with Alec Wimbleton and Paul Hopper , we coached and managed the then U13s . Ringwood Town FC then had two teams at this age group and was made up predominately of local Ringwood lads .
Every coach and Manager at this age group will recognise that keeping lads involved in football from this age group onwards is no easy task – with other distractions and school commitments of study taking more focus .
What we did was `open the catchment area ’ up to other towns locally , including Verwood , Wimborne and Bournemouth with our mantra being that we will develop players to be the `Best that they can be ’ - through engaging coaching sessions week in week out .
It worked for us as word spread about the fun the lads were having at the time with their football and with a few tournament wins and promotion to Division 1 Bournemouth it was clear we were doing something right .
We believe that a football match is simply a process win , lose or draw ; it is far more important that the team takes on board what we have helped them with in training and pre-match discussion and then follow that through – not a win at all costs attitude ; but with an edge created by desire and the mental strength of the lads .
Over the years we climbed to the top of Division 1 Bournemouth league against some superb local sides including Christchurch FC , Bransgore FC and Poole Town FC , eventually winning the title in the 2014 / 15 season .
It was then that we realised that our methods and approach was something we needed to maintain into U18s and so
we managed to secure funding from the FA ’ s “ Grow the Game ” to create two U18s teams – one in Dorset Division One and the other in the Hampshire Division Two .
By doing two teams it gave the chance to keep the development of players a constant with more pitch time and combined coaching sessions as a squad working together , not apart – it was then that we welcomed Carl Rolfe into our set
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