What children like about football

Summertown Stars AFC young player survey August 2020 About this survey

We wanted to know what children like most about football. We set up an online survey in June 2020 to inform discussions around our club ethos and find out what the club can do better. We received 185 responses – about a quarter of all our young players – with good representation across boys and girls in all age groups U6–U18. We are pleased to share the survey results here. Special thanks to Peter Joyce, Mike Kovacevich, Anna den Boer, Lola Damstra and Kerry Hughes for their support with the survey.

Gunnar Niels, Chair, Summertown Stars AFC

2 About Summertown Stars

Summertown Stars AFC is a football club in North Oxford with more than 700 players. We have 55 teams across all age groups from U6 to adult, and we support disability football through our cerebral palsy team. In recent years we have seen an amazing growth in girls’ football, with girls now representing a third of our players.

Summertown Stars is an FA-recognised Charter Standard Community Club, meeting stringent criteria on facilities, coaching and safeguarding. We have players from 62 local primary and secondary schools. Our home grounds are Cutteslowe Park and Five Mile Drive, and we are currently developing a third site at Cherwell School. Our teams train midweek at various flood-lit facilities including Phil & Jim.

Summertown Stars is run entirely by unpaid volunteers, including the executive team, all team managers and coaches, and the many parents/carers who help out on match days and at club events. For more information visit: https://www.summertownstars.org/

3 Survey participants: good representation all-round

Survey participants (185 in total) • 185 responses − just over a quarter of all 100% young players in the club 90% • Mix of girls and boys roughly proportionate to 80% club membership (one-third, two-thirds) 70% • All age groups U6−U18 represented 60% 50% • All levels of experience, from those in their first year of football to those with 10+ years’ 40% experience (not shown in chart) 30% • This large sample size means we can draw 20% meaningful conclusions from the survey 10% 0% Girls Boys U6-U11 U12-U18

4 Survey took place during lockdown, so we asked: How much have you missed football?

5 What matters most to you when playing football?

All respondents (185) • Respondents were asked to rank six factors. Percentages show comparison with highest ranked Having fun 100% factor (which is 100%) • Having fun (100%) and playing Playing with friends 94% with friends (94%) clearly matter most to children Learning to get better 84% • Scoring goals and winning are about half as important as Playing well 68% having fun • These results are consistent Winning 56% with our club ethos, which emphasises fun and learning over winning (see annex) Scoring goals 50%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

6 What matters most to you when playing football?

• Similar ranking across boys and girls: having fun and playing with friends matter most • For girls, winning is only 46% as important as having fun; for boys winning is 63% as important • For the older age groups (U12−U18), learning to get better becomes slightly more important than playing with friends

7 What is the one thing you like best about football?

An open question with lots of different answers! The word cloud illustrates the most common ones.

Other notable responses • ‘the way the ball swerves’ (U8 boys) • ‘proving people wrong about girls playing football’ (U11 girls) • ‘being able to forget about everything that is going on and relax’ (U12 girls) • ‘having a hobby to separate from school stress’ (U16 girls) • ‘it brings people together; nothing else matters when you’re on the field with your team’ (U18 boys)

8 Is there anything you do not like about football?

An open question, again with many different answers. ‘Nothing’ was actually by far the most common response!

Common themes (see more details on following pages) bad weather, pitch conditions, pressure, fouls, injuries and being shouted at

9 Is there anything you do not like about football? Common themes

Weather and pitch conditions • ‘Going out in the cold and the rain’ (U9 girls) • ‘Playing in the cold and wet’ (U6 boys, U11 girls, U16 boys) • ‘Wet match days’ (U11 girls, U15 girls, U16 boys) • ‘Those cold, wet, windy winter matches’ (U11 boys) • ‘Pitch conditions especially at Summertown not suitable for playing football, always wet’ (U16 boys) • ‘Very muddy pitches’ (U8 boys) • ‘When it is very cold and my hands and feet get frozen’ (U11 girls)

Team mates, sometimes … • ‘Selfish team mates’ (U9 boys) • ‘When I play badly sometimes and my team mates shout at me’ (U8 boys) • ‘Other team mates being rude’ (U16 girls) • ‘Team mates who sulk when not on preferred team’ (U9 girls) • ‘When a team mate overreacts to mistakes by other players’ (U11 boys) • ‘Some players can be rude which ruins the atmosphere’ (U15 girls) • ‘Sometimes team mates do not pass or are exclusive’ (U8 girls)

10 Is there anything you do not like about football? Common themes

Pressure and competitiveness • ‘People getting too obsessed with it’ (U17 boys) • ‘Parents screaming from the sideline’ (U10 boys) • ‘Swearing and abuse from other teams’ (U17 girls) • ‘Pressure from the manager’ (U10 boys) • ‘Over-competitive managers making way too much noise on the touchline’ (U14 girls) • ‘Others being mean when I make a mistake’ (U9 girls) • ‘The goalkeeper gets the blame when we lose’ (U10 girls) • ‘When people shout at you for not playing well’ (U12 boys) • ‘Too competitive sometimes. It should be mainly about having fun, not winning’ (U14 girls) • ‘Too much competition’ (U10 boys) • ‘Competitiveness can lead to a toxic environment where winning comes before the players’ enjoyment’ (U18 boys) • ‘Being underestimated as a girl and as an individual’ (U9 girls) • ‘Focus on the best players’ (U8 girls) • ‘Some children that are good get played more’ (U8 boys)

11 Is there anything you do not like about football? Common themes

Fouls and injuries • ‘Injuries’ (U8 boys, U9 girls, U14 girls) • ‘When tackled aggressively’ (U12 girls) • ‘Bad tackles and unfairness’ (U7 boys) • ‘Fouling’ (U7 boys, U8 boys, U9 boys) • ‘Fouls and cheating (including diving)’ (U10 boys)

Losing does hurt! • ‘Losing’ (U9 boys, U11 boys, U12 girls, U12 boys, U15 boys, U16 boys) • ‘If you lose and the opposition makes fun’ (U11 boys) • ‘Lucky goals against us’ (U14 boys) • ‘Losing when we don’t deserve to’ (U12 boys) • ‘Getting battered’ (U13 boys)

12 Who is your role model in football?

• Many different (57) professional Boys’ most cited role models Girls’ most cited role models footballers were mentioned, and 1. Lionel Messi 1. Nikita Parris some respondents named whole 2. Marcus Rashford 2. teams (, England ladies) 3. 3. • 4. Frank Lampard 4. Alex Morgan Many girls said they have no role model 5. Eden Hazard 5. Raheem Sterling 6. Cristiano Ronaldo 6.

Other role models mentioned • Summertown Stars managers Stef Blin, Giles Eadle, Dave Griffiths, Ben Reeves, Jess Richmond, John Azzopardi • Team mates Nicholas (U7), Alice (U8), Harvey (U8), Charlie (U9), Freya (U16) • Quite a few mentions of ‘my dad’ and ‘my brother’ Keep up the good influence!

13 How much do you like weekend matches and midweek training? • Matches are liked better than midweek training • Girls like both matches and training a bit more than boys do • The older age groups like matches more than younger age groups do. The younger age groups like midweek training more than the older age groups do

14 How much do you like the club presentation event in May and the 5-a-side tournament in June?

• The annual 5-a-side tournament is well-liked, especially among girls and the younger age groups • The annual presentation event has a more mixed review, especially among the older age groups

15 ‘My manager encourages me to have fun and learn’

• Eight out of ten respondents strongly agree with the statement • Younger players agree slightly more than older players • Overall, well done to the Summertown Stars managers!

16 ‘In my team, players from different schools get on with each other as well as players from the same school’

• The large majority strongly agree, especially among the girls’ teams • We are pleased to see this, as one of the strengths of Summertown Stars is that players from different schools (62 in total) and backgrounds mix together in teams

17 ‘I feel I learn a lot and improve my skills during the midweek training sessions’

• Around 40% strongly agree, while around 55% somewhat agree • Younger players agree more than the older players • There is room for improvement and sharing of best practice in coaching during midweek training; we are working on this in our Coaches Forum

18 ‘In my team, everyone has the same opportunities and encouragement, regardless of ability’

• The majority strongly agree with the statement • The picture is similar for girls and boys, but younger age groups are more positive about having equal opportunities than older age groups • A small minority of players (8%) do not feel everyone has the same opportunities • Overall we believe this paints a positive picture that is largely in line with our club ethos which emphasises inclusiveness (see annex)

19 ‘During matches my manager substitutes players in a fair way’

• Two-thirds of players strongly agree • A small minority of players (11%) do not feel substitutions in their team are fair • Overall this paints a positive picture that is largely in line with our club ethos (see annex) and principles of fair game time. Substitutions are always tricky to get right!

20 ‘During matches the parents on the touchline scream and shout too much’

• Not a bad verdict on parents, as most players (two-thirds) disagreed with this statement • The sentiment is roughly the same across age and gender • Yet one-third of players do believe that parents shout too much during matches, so there is clear room for improvement!

21 ‘If I’m worried about something to do with me or my team, I feel I can talk to an adult’

• Two-thirds of respondents strongly agree with the statement and nearly all others somewhat agree, which is encouraging • However, 8% of girls disagreed

22 Finally, can you name one thing that Summertown Stars could improve as a club?

There were many suggestions, although also many answers along the lines of ‘Nothing, the club is awesome!’ Some common themes are set out below and the next pages.

Club events and organisation • ‘More events involving Summertown Stars teams, to feel more like a club’ • ‘More inter-club activities/tournaments between teams in Summertown Stars’ • ‘It would be nice to have an organised trip to a Premier League match’ • ‘Maybe do two 5-a-side tournaments, one in summer and one in winter?’ • ‘Have more girls teams and enter them all into national tournaments’ • ‘Having as many girls teams as boys teams’

23 Finally, can you name one thing that Summertown Stars could improve as a club? (cont’d)

Facilities and pitches • ‘Better pitches’ • ‘The pitches because they are on a bit of a slope’ • ‘Have permanent/fixed goals at Five Mile Drive’ • ‘Goalposts that are already fixed and don't have to be built every week causing stress’ • ‘Newer equipment like goals, flags and respect barriers’ • ‘Match pitch allocation system is very confusing. It'd be easier if each pitch had a number’ • ‘Better and more training spaces. I have to train with three other teams on a hockey pitch’ • ‘A 3G training pitch or somewhere indoors would be nice’ • ‘Training pitch at P&J could have better lighting’ • ‘Indoor competitions or matches when it’s cold and wet’ • ‘Having a better clubhouse’ • ‘I think that the clubhouse should look a bit more welcoming from the outside’

24 Finally, can you name one thing that Summertown Stars could improve as a club? (cont’d)

Equipment and kit • ‘Have a home and away kit’ • ‘Training kits’ • ‘Kit: Summertown jumpers or tracks’ • ‘The kit, as we have a lot of random kits now’ • ‘Bigger range of playing and training balls − not just yellow Nike’ • ‘The type of footballs we use. The newer softer balls are better’ • ‘A big sponsor, so we all have one’

25 Finally, can you name one thing that Summertown Stars could improve as a club? (cont’d)

Training and coaching • ‘Train more’ • ‘Proper training’ • ‘Having some professional coaching sessions for different positions’ • ‘Discipline within the team and coaching. Structured training and coaching development’ • ‘Coaching specialist’ • ‘Good and qualified coaches. More discipline and respect’ • ‘Helping find coaches for teams that don’t have one, we still don’t have a confirmed coach’ • ‘All managers share their good ideas of how they coach their players’ • ‘To make a rule of no talking over the coach because it distracts him and other people’ • ‘More support for coaches to help them do their great job’

26 Finally, can you name one thing that Summertown Stars could improve as a club? (cont’d)

Teams and team selection • ‘Kids have more say in who makes up a team, e.g. team with friends’ • ‘Don’t let teams recruit all the best players from other teams’ • ‘I would like to mix more with other teams my age’ • ‘To be more fair with different abilities’ • ‘Listen to which position players like to play in, not just what they're best at’ • ‘Play with boys in a mixed team for some matches and goalkeeper training’ • ‘Using subs more’

27 Finally, can you name one thing that Summertown Stars could improve as a club? (cont’d)

Behaviours and best practice • ‘Let us play!’ • ‘Stronger complaints against teams that cheat and biased refs. It ruins it for the kids’ • ‘Some coaches are too focused on winning and not letting everyone play’ • ‘Monitoring of managers so that they act fairly’ • ‘Regular feedback/communication’ • ‘Not sitting on the floor when a sub’ • ‘It would have been nice to hear from the manager during the lockdown’ • ‘Not have matches outside of Oxford for younger players’ • ‘I would like other players in my team not to mess around’ • ‘It’s intimidating when parents and other coaches shout, even if they think they’re being encouraging.’ • ‘Tell the opposition spectators to shut up!’

28 Conclusion: What next?

• We are really pleased to have this insight into what our young players think about football • Clearly, having fun and playing with friends are central. This is true for girls and boys and across all age groups from U6 to U18 • Winning can be fun (and we saw that losing can hurt), but this is not the purpose of youth football • Our club culture and ethos are about offering a safe and enjoyable environment where children have fun and develop their skills. Encouraged by this survey, we will continue to emphasise this to our managers, other club volunteers and parents/carers • Overall, our young players seem very happy at the club, and enormous credit for this is due to our 100+ volunteer managers and coaches and everyone else dedicating their time to the club!

29 Conclusion: What next?

• There are some very good ideas and lessons for the club coming out of this survey • On fairness of opportunities and substitutions, it is hard to please everyone, but we need to be aware that a small minority of players do not feel their team is always run fairly • Parents: please do refrain from shouting too much from the touchline, other than positive encouragement of the players • The club is working on the development of our coaches and coaching standards in order to enhance the experience of those wishing to develop their skills • We will reflect on the format of the annual presentation event (which was cancelled this year anyway due to Covid-19) • The club will continue to work hard with Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire FA and schools to develop the right facilities (pitches, pavilions) for weekend games and midweek training • One thing we cannot change is those cold and wet games in winter!

30 Thank you for your interest!

For any comments or questions contact: [email protected] For more information on the club visit: https://www.summertownstars.org/ Follow us on: Twitter (@SummertStarsAFC) and Facebook (Summertown-Stars-Football-Club)

31 Annex: Summertown Stars club ethos

We believe that football should be a fun and positive experience, which builds players’ confidence and encourages their personal development and teamwork. Winning can be fun, but is not the purpose of youth football. We are an inclusive club. We welcome all girls and boys from age five who wish to play football. We provide a safe and supportive community-based environment. All players have the opportunity to develop their footballing skills through appropriate coaching and being part of a team. Summertown Stars is a volunteer-run organisation. Parents and carers are expected to attend games and training, to support the manager on match days, and to help as volunteers at club events. Players and parents are asked to sign up to the club’s codes of conduct, respecting match officials and positively encouraging players at all times. Youth football is about the experience of the child, not the ambitions of the adult. Summertown Stars encourages the pursuit of excellence, and embraces the nature of football as a competitive sport. But experience has shown that teams who emphasise fun and learning over winning are generally happier and stick together for longer.

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