Be the fastest player at your trial
Academy scouts time everything — your first 10 metres, your recovery runs, how quickly you close down. The players who stand out have trained the one quality scouts can measure on a stopwatch: speed.
Book trial prep Ask a questionWho this is for
- Players aged 12–18 invited to academy trials or assessments
- Boys' and girls' club players pushing for performance-level squads
- Players told they have the ability but “need to work on pace”
What we work on
Acceleration mechanics
The first 5–10 metres, where most football sprints are won.
Speed under fatigue
So your last run of the session looks like your first.
Direction & reaction
Game-realistic change of direction and reactive starts.
Timed testing
Baseline your 10m, 20m and 30m — and quote the improvement to coaches.
£80 with head coach Allan Smith · block pricing available
Frequently asked questions
How long before a trial should we start?
Ideally 4–6 weeks. Meaningful speed gains in teenagers are very achievable in that window, especially technique-driven ones.
Do you coach girls?
Yes — our coaching team includes female coaches and we work with players across the girls' academy pathway.
Can you fix slow players?
Speed is trainable. Most “slow” young players have never been taught to sprint — technique fixes alone often take tenths off a 20m time.
A block of 4–6 sessions before the big day
Every session timed and filmed at Meadowbank Sports Centre, with drills to keep sharp in between.
Book trial prep