Cambridge United have joined the British Psychological Society (BPS) in their latest mission to have professional psychologist support mandated across all academies at professional clubs...
Fronting this campaign is Dom Ball, who came through the academy system in the UK and recently wrote a book - From Winning Teams to Broken Dreams - about his experiences following his release from Watford’s Academy. Dom is now a campaigner for improved mental health support for released academy footballers and is passionate about this area of work.
“Football is a very difficult sport," Ball said. "It is of course very rewarding, but on the other side there are real lows as well. You might get injuries, you might be away from home, or training might not be going well. It can be very tough to deal with as a young player when you haven’t matured yet as a person.
"If you are between the age of 15-19, to be told that you aren’t good enough to make the cut and your dream is over, it can be really traumatic.”
Dom has repeatedly impressed the need for aftercare for those who are released for football academies and alongside this the BPS is calling for:
- The FA, Premier League, and EFL to join forces and provide funding for psychologists for clubs outside of the Premier League so all academy footballers can get the support they need both during and after their academy contract.
- Clubs to grow their psychological workforce with the additional funding. This will embed psychological support through an academy player’s journey with the squad, supporting their resilience in the future.
- A mandated offer of aftercare to all academy footballers who are released. This could include an offer of three appointments with an HCPC-registered sport and exercise psychologist paid for by the club.
Dom and Callum Langley, Cambridge United Player Care Manger, have shared several conversations around the topic since Dom joined the football club, with both having the unanimous opinion that the BPS’ aims are a huge step forward in the care for young individuals.
Callum added, "At Cambridge United we are incredibly proud of the care we provide players who exit our pathway and that journey begins a long time before they leave the programme. We are passionate about ensuring players continue to feel part of the CUFC family for life and that they can always access any support they need.
"Success for individuals who come through our academy is different for every individual and we seek to provide a tailored programme to all to allow them to realise their potential wherever their journey takes them.
"Whilst we are proud of our programme, we are also eager to welcome any additional support to make this difficult transition smoother for these young boys in our care and wholeheartedly endorse the BPS’ current campaign."
ITV Anglia visited the Cambridge United Training Ground last week to cover the topic:
