Training Nights
If you had asked me a few years ago what a typical evening would look like, I probably would have said dinner, homework, and maybe some TV before bed. Now? Our evenings look very different. Welcome to the life of a football family.
Training nights have become a big part of our weekly routine. Bags packed, boots ready, water bottles filled, and everyone rushing out the door to make it to the pitch on time. Somehow, no matter how organized we try to be, it always feels like a small adventure.
As a football mum, I’ve learned that training is not just about football. It’s about watching your child grow in confidence, learn teamwork, and push themselves a little more each week. Standing on the side-lines, sometimes in the cold or rain, you realise it’s all worth it when you see that smile after a good pass, a goal, or simply trying their best.
Of course, it’s not just the football mum involved in all this. Behind many training nights is also the football dad. Whether it’s helping practise kicks in the garden, offering tips in the car on the way home, or cheering from the side of the pitch, dads play a big role too.
In our house, football doesn’t really end when training finishes. There are conversations about goals, passes, and funny moments from practice all the way home. Sometimes there’s even a little extra practice in the garden if there’s still energy left.
What I’ve realised is that football training is about so much more than the game. It’s about family time, support, encouragement, and sharing the journey together. Win or lose, score or miss, what matters most is seeing your child enjoy the game and grow along the way.
So here we are, a football mum and a football dad, standing on the side-lines, cheering, supporting, and enjoying every moment of this football adventure.
The role of the Football Dad
The Role of the Football Dad
When people talk about youth football, you often hear about the “football mum” — the one organising bags, remembering training times, and standing on the side-lines in all kinds of weather. But behind many young footballers, there is also a very important person: the football dad. The football dad often plays a special role in the journey. Sometimes he is the one kicking the ball around in the garden after dinner, practising passes, or helping improve a shot on goal. These little moments of practice don’t always feel like training — often they just feel like fun — but they can mean a lot to a young player.
Football dads are also often the ones discussing the match all the way home. Talking about the good passes, the near goals, and the exciting moments from the game. It’s not always about winning or losing. Most of the time it’s just about sharing the excitement of the game together.
Of course, football dads are also there on the side-lines. Watching carefully, cheering loudly, and sometimes feeling just as nervous as the players on the pitch. You can usually spot them easily — the proud smile when their child makes a great pass or tries their hardest.
But the most important role of a football dad isn’t about coaching or giving advice. It’s about support. It’s about encouraging their child to keep going, enjoy the game, and learn along the way.
In the end, youth football becomes something the whole family shares. The football mum organising the busy schedule, the football dad kicking the ball in the garden, and a young player discovering the joy of the game. Because behind every young footballer, there is often not just a football mum — but a football dad too.
You Go Girl!
Two years ago, if someone had told me that my daughter would one day become a strong defender on the football pitch, I probably would have smiled politely and thought they were joking. Back then, she barely knew how to kick the ball properly. Like many kids starting something new, she was learning everything from the very beginning.
I still remember those early days. The ball didn’t always go where she wanted it to go. Sometimes the kick was too soft, sometimes she missed it completely, and sometimes she would just laugh and try again. But what mattered most was that she kept showing up and she kept trying.
Training after training, something slowly started to change. Her confidence grew. Her kicks became stronger. She started understanding the game, where to run, when to pass, and how to protect the ball.
And then something else happened — she found her place in defence.
Watching her now is honestly incredible. The same girl who barely knew how to kick the ball two years ago now stands strong at the back, reading the game, stopping attacks, and protecting her team. Sometimes when I watch her play, I can’t help but think of legendary defenders like Paolo Malindi — calm, focused, and always in the right place.
Of course, she’s still learning and growing, but seeing that progress is one of the most rewarding things as a football mum. It shows that confidence, practice, and passion can transform a beginner into a real player.
And as I stand on the side-lines watching her defend like a little Malindi , I can’t help but think one thing: You go girl!
Dreaming Big
Every young footballer has a hero. Someone they watch, admire, and dream of becoming one day. In our house, that player is Cristiano Ronaldo.
My son talks about him all the time. The goals, the skills, the celebrations — everything about Ronaldo inspires him. For him, football is not just a game. It’s a dream.
I often see it in the little moments. Practising shots whenever he has a ball at his feet, trying new moves, and imagining those big match moments. Sometimes the garden turns into a stadium, and every goal feels like the winning goal in a final.
What I love most is the determination. Just like his hero, he wants to work hard, improve, and become better every time he steps onto the pitch. It’s not always easy, and football has its ups and downs, but that dream keeps him going.
As a football mum, it’s amazing to watch. One child growing into a strong defender, the other dreaming of scoring goals like Cristiano Ronaldo. Two different styles, two different journeys, but the same love for the game.
And who knows what the future holds? Maybe one day those dreams will take him further than we ever imagined.
For now, I’ll just keep watching from the side-lines, proud of both of them — my daughter defending like a little Malindi, and my son chasing his Ronaldo dream.
