Dear Parent,

Thank you for taking the time to read this information pack. We feel that now your son has made the decision to join our elite centre it is important to inform you of our procedures and in which ways we work and also you’re what your commitment will be as parents.

This pack has been designed to answer any questions you may have and to provide you with further information about Oxfordshire Junior Foxes and Leicester City FC Academy.

Your son has been chosen to join our Centre as we feel he has the potential to improve and develop under the guidance of our highly qualified coaches and within an environment which your son can thrive in.

If you feel you have any questions that haven’t been answered in this booklet do not hesitate to contact us either by email or phone.

Kind Regards

Adam Bowerman & Declan Mcgovern

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My Son has been spotted, what happens now?

A: We will invite your son to attend our development centre depending on location and age. This would normally be within a week but in some instances it may take up to two weeks. If you haven’t heard from us in two weeks please get in touch.

Q: How long is my Son on Trial for?

A: Your son will attend the development centre for two sessions, in some cases the coach may ask to see your son for a third session. Three sessions is the maximum.

Q: After the Trial, what happens next?

A: Once the Trial has finished, the coaching staff who have seen your son during the Trial will decide together on two outcomes:

Outcome 1 - Be officially invited to attend Oxfordshire Junior Foxes in association with Leicester City Academy Development Centre.

Outcome 2 –Be informed that they haven’t reached the desired level, however will be offered the chance to return in the near future.

Q: Can my son still train with his local club?

A: Yes. We believe that the training they receive from their local clubs aids their development and also gives them a platform on which they can practice further.

Q: Will he play in any matches?

A: Yes. He will be involved depending on how well he is doing with his development. There will be Inter Centre Games against our players who are at the same ability as him and against players at a similar position at Northants Junior Foxes. There will be other matches if he is improving quickly against Professional Clubs. For the boys who are very close to the Academy standard, they will visit the Academy to play games against other Leicester City FC Development and Academy squads.

Q: Why do we have to pay?

A: Unfortunately, we do not receive any funding. All income comes from the Centre we run. Any profit which is very small is put back into Oxfordshire Junior Foxes to provide the latest coaching equipment, match kit or more coaches to reduce the coach and player ratio. Costs for a 6/7 Week Term are £48.

Q: Do you give any feedback on how my son is getting on?

Yes we aim to give feedback to all players every 2 terms via development reports. If you would like feedback before this then we are more than happy to talk to you regarding this.

Q: What makes you different to every other so called 'Development Centre'?

We firmly believe that we have the highest quality coaches and methodology to develop players which Leicester City FC Academy would be interested in having on trial. We have seen and watched other Centres around and believe that we have something which is unique and different. We aim to provide an environment for players which they feel part of, feel welcome and an environment which they can develop in while still enjoying playing football. We are always available for discussions on your child’s progress and will always give you honest and constructive feedback.

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes is a Development Centre which is not a money making business. None of our Coaches or Centre Managers are here to make money. The parents are charged so that we can find the best coaches around, the best facilities around, use the best equipment and be able to offer the experience of an Oxfordshire Junior Foxes session.

Q: How strong are your links with Leicester City Academy Recruitment?

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes solely works on the basis that Leicester City FC Academy have first refusal on all players they will encounter through our Centres. We are allowed as a Centre to play against other LCFC Development Centres, invited to play at the Academy Dome, play against the Academy and represent the link we have with Leicester City Football Club Academy.

Q: What happens if LCFC do not like/want my son?

We have decided to develop your son as we believe there is potential in him to possibly be an elite player. Our job is to do our best to help him reach the Academy Level. If LCFC decide that your son isn’t going to reach that level, then we are able to offer your son to other local Professional Sides within the surrounding areas that all have academies and centres of excellence.

Q: I am not sure if my son can deal with the rejection of being released?

We have found that releasing a player from our centre can be very distressing for a player and his family. We only make the decision to release once 3 coaches have assessed your son and have come to the same conclusion. Once we have discussed this decision with you, we will give you some guidance notes on how you and your son can deal with this rejection. This has been specifically designed for parents and players from Oxfordshire Junior Foxes.We hope that this information can ease the distress it may cause.

Parent Code of Conduct

We welcome and encourage parents/guardians to attend match days and training. We thank them for their goodwill and commitment towards their sons football, but we ask that they follow the guidelines set out below at all times.

  • Support of the players must be positive and encouraging at all times.
  • Set an example by supporting players and teams in a positive manner, by showing respect to the opposition and avoiding criticism of any players or officials.
  • Foul and abusive language must never be used.
  • Abusive behaviour, whether physical or verbal, is unacceptable and in no circumstances will be tolerated. This behaviour may result in the rejection of your child from the development centre.
  • Parents must not enter the field of play, dressing rooms or treatment areas before, during or after matches/training, unless requested to do so by staff or officials.
  • Parents must inform coaches of any medication required by players in advance of training and matches and notify staff of any changes in medication.
  • Parents must inform coaches of any illnesses/injuries that may prohibit or impede there son from taking part in matches or training.
  • Parents must not attempt to coach players and must refrain from giving players feedback unless they have discussed with the coaches.
  • Parents must remain outside the field of play and watch the game from the opposite side of the pitch to coaches, or in the designated spectator area where necessary.
  • Parents must seek permission before taking photographs of the players and games.

Players Code of Conduct

  • Always strive to achieve your best in both training and matches.
  • Listen attentively to the coaches, remembering that he is trying to make you become a better player and ultimately secure you a long term future in the game.
  • Be respectful and polite at all times towards team mates, coaches, officials, opponents and the general public.
  • Assist the coaches in making sure the equipment is safe and ready to use.
  • Make sure the facilities are kept clean and tidy after use.
  • Be punctual at all times.
  • Be of smart appearance and behave responsibly at all times whilst representing Oxfordshire Junior Foxes or Leicester City FC.
  • Take Responsibility of your own personal hygiene after training and matches.
  • Give yourself the best possible chance to succeed by preparing properly for training and matches and maintaining a healthy balanced lifestyle.
  • Report all injuries immediately to your coaches.

Below shows the development pathway as to where the boys are and where the progression routes lead to.

General Information

Training/Match Kit

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes training kit is available to purchase once your son has completed his trial successfully and is asked to join the development centre on a full time basis. This allows the coach to make a decision as to whether he feels your son has done well enough to join the centre for a longer period of time and avoids players being disappointed after purchasing the kit.

Please remember that orders can take up to 5 weeks to arrive.

Cost

The cost to attend the centre is £48 per term, with each term consisting of 6 or 7 sessions. There will be no additional cost for any matches your son is invited to attend.

Type of Training on Offer

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes is an elite development centre purely focused on developing players and not teams. For parents this is sometimes hard to get their head around, however with our very own unique philosophy and syllabus sessions our aim is to improve and develop players technical ability allowing them to perform to high standards individually within a team environment with an improved understanding of tactical aspects of the game.

Parents Role

Your role as a parent is to guide your son to improve as much as possible away from the development centre, players who want to learn will learn and those who do not want to won’t. Encourage your son to practice the technical aspects he has learnt from his coaches in training as much as possible.

Our Coaches

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes know that employing the right quality staff is the key to providing all players with the best professional coaching experience. Our coaching staff dedicate their time, knowledge and experience to each individual aiming to create highly talented players technically, tactically, mentally and physically. They are passionate and committed to developing young players and work hard to provide all players with a comprehensive football education in all aspects of the game both on and off the field of play. All coaches follow our unique elite coaching programme and benefit from ongoing workshops designed especially for Oxfordshire Junior Foxes. All coaching staff hold the minimum of FA Level 2 coaching qualification along with the FA youth awards, with all of our lead coaching staff having UEFA B Licenses.

Progress Reports

Oxfordshire Junior Foxes understand the importance of providing players with the feedback they deserve. All players will receive feedback/development reports three times a season.

Games

As all Oxfordshire Junior Foxes players are not required to leave their local clubs we encourage them to practice what they have learnt with us in this environment. This gives players a great opportunity to develop in a lower level environment and improve technically under pressure.

We also understand the importance of players needing to play against tougher/higher level opposition. We provide a games programme for all players to play against other Junior Foxes satellite centres and other Leicester City development centres. There will also be opportunities to play against other professional centres of excellence, academies and development centres. If your son is improving quickly and showing a very high standard during training and games there may be opportunities to represent Leicester City at an Elite level as well as academy level.

Training Dates

Training will take place at St Gregory the Great School, OX4 3DR on astro turf and dates are normally based around the Oxfordshire county council school term dates, at times we may change these dates.

Contact Information

Website –

Email Address –

Adam Bowerman – 07595221811

Declan McGovern - 07508069731

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