This document will show the provision and facilities that are within my local area of Surrey, Also the facilities nationally. Firstly a quick brief description of the sport I have chosen. Football can also be recognized as soccer and is in fact the most popular sport watched and played throughout the world today. Judging by the name football you can gather that the sport is played with the feet, but only the two goalkeepers on the field are an acceptation and can use any part of their body. This includes them able to use their hands, which an outfielder cannot use because of the size of the goal the keeper has to defend. The goalkeepers are strictly only allowed to use their hands within their penalty area. The basic equipment needed to play the game consists of a ball (preferably size 5), two goals, a location to play the game and for those who can afford and desire them, sports outfits consisting of shirts, shorts, stockings, shinpads and athletic shoes also known as football boots.
Little League Football I live within the London borough of Sutton (surrey) in the town of Carshalton. This area has a variety of facilities to choose from in this sporting area and caters for all ages and needs. If you are a footballing person like myself you will start up football at an early age which maybe within your primary school depending on sufficient funds and facilities. At a local park on Tweeddale Road near Sutton arena there is a little league that caters for kids at the ages 7-14. It has three age group leagues, bantum, intermediate and senior. Each of these are split up due to age groups, which is fair and allows children to come up against the same standard gameplay. It also gives the opportunity for kids to be noticed for their skill and determination.
This little league is publicly funded with some help from the local council it is also sponsored by a local eye options. Due to this fact it provides the children with quality sports equipment including kits and a range of facilities like the changing rooms inside Sutton arena which has been used for many years. My own opinion of this league is that it gives progressing children the chance to get to grips with a new sport and learn basic rules and gameplay. Most of all it gets more kids involved.
Schoolboy Football To take this footballing career past the little league stage kids can play and get involved in their high school football team. Schools nowadays have sufficient income of funds from the government to produce such teams around the borough. This means that most high schools can afford sports equipment, pitches etc. Schoolboy football is an important part of teenagers footballing career due to the fact you are representing you school against other competitors around the borough. It gives you a change to play football free of charge. It also gives you the chance to progress and build up skills/techniques to a higher level. If you are at that higher level you may get noticed and scouted for other football teams.
Grassroots Football Grassroots football is another option that you can take up as it is played on a different day (Sunday where as schoolboy football is normally played on a Saturday). In grassroots football you will have to pay a signing on fee plus weekly payments or subs to help pay for pitches, referees and other various facilities used including training pitches (indoors or outdoors). Grass roots offers a number of leagues that you can participate in including the Tandridge or the Epsom and ewell. I have played for a team in the Tandridge league and was happy with the standard of football. At this stage most clubs in the grassroots leagues are sponsored by small businesses around the area of the club is from or located. This is good because the teams get sponsored kits and the business gets free advertisements.
Local Facilities If you want to play the sport for a bit of fun with friends or family there is lots of centers that have football facilities that you can use at various costs. Westcroft leisure center have indoor courts and various equipment like indoors balls that you can rent out at an hourly rate. This vicinity is a good choice because if it’s refreshing pool that you can use after your workout. It often has football competitions that take place in the summer holidays and school term breaks for kids that like to get involved in the sport. There are other places where you can rent out courts and the next nearest is called the `Power league’. It has about 12 5-a-side football courts that are charged at an hourly rate. If you have enough of your mates that enjoy football then you can start up your very own 5-a-side team which will then be placed in one of the leagues that run on the day in which your team are available.
Evan though that the above centers charge you to use their facilities there are lots of parks with goal posts already set up for the public to use free of charge. These parks include Bedington Park, Tweeddale Park, St Heiler green and Poulters Park. St Heiler green and poulters park have recently built football courts that are caged and open to any person that wish to use it free of charge. There is a local Astroturf pitch on Angel hill road, which is used by lots of people and schools because of its excellent pitch conditions and facilities. On Green Wrythe lane there is a new youth center that has been built and it has an outside an indoor court that is also open for kids and teenagers up to the age of 17.
Local towns clubs If you fancy yourself to be a good footballer you can go to your local towns club, which offer trials to youths in the area for their youth teams. These clubs include Carshalton Athletic F.C. and Sutton United F.C. Each of which can offer you a high level of football and facilities that include quality pitches and stadiums that may enhance performance. These are both under FA ruling and consider to be progressing sides. Other local sides that are professional include Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Fulham, Chalton and West Ham.
Wimbledon out of these I admire for their Contribution to the young progressing footballers of today. They have academy courses every year that are local e.g. Mushchamp playing field. It it sometimes held at Westcroft leisure center, which is useful, if you live in the Wallington or Carshalton area.