Youngster Louis says Foundation's Football Development Centres have helped him with his skills!

Youngster Louis Bilsborrow has loved his time at AFC Fylde Community Foundation’s weekly Football Development Centres sessions, and says the pathway provided has supported him on his journey playing the sport he loves.

Louis, who plays for Kirkham JFC, has been attending the Foundation’s popular training sessions for four years, where he has received coaching from our UEFA qualified coaches to oversee his development.

And from the Development Centres, Louis has progressed onto being given the opportunity to go on a trial period with AFC Fylde’s academy.

Louis said: “I really enjoy it, it’s really fun that we get to play matches and do drills like the long passing, which I really like.

“I always play against different people, and it’s built my confidence. I really like the challenge.

“It’s really exciting for me, and to play against players who have already had experience of an academy.

“There’s lots of different ages, and all ages can play, so you are always with the people who are of the same level to me.

“It’s been a really good experience for me in the academy.”

Louis' mum Amy added: “It’s been really good and really clear, we’ve had communication and information where we can find out about other classes, it’s been more of a challenge but Louie has managed to move up to the challenge.

“It’s helped with his confidence, because if he plays for a small local team, he sticks with the same players all of the time and he was a little bit shy at first and it did him a lot of good so he could meet new people and being out of his comfort zone.

“It’s given him an opportunity to play against players of his height who were older, and he didn’t over think about when tackling for the ball."

Connor Williams, Football Development Officer at AFC Fylde Community Foundation commented: "At the Community Foundation we are very proud of Louis and his progression throughout the years he's been with us, to put his new skills into his Grassroots team and now to have a trial with AFC Fylde academy is a credit to his work rate and the work of the coaches at the Development Centres. Well done, Louis!"

For more information on AFC Fylde Community Foundation’s Football Development Centres, please email Connor.Williams@afcfylde.co.uk