The Roar
The Roar

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A Scotsman, football and the one-size-fits-all academy

(Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
Expert
18th December, 2017
40

Speaking with a Scotsman can sometimes be a difficult endeavour. Even with a hint of the tartan in my bloodlines, there are times when the thickness of one of the most recognisable accents in the world confounds me.

However, this is not the case with James Boyle, whom I had the pleasure of meeting last week and talking all things football.

As a young man, Boyle’s talent had been identified by Scottish Premier League Club Motherwell and his professional career appeared on track.

Unfortunately, as is the case with thousands of gifted young players across the globe each year, injury curtailed his journey and he became somewhat distanced from the game.

Without football as an outlet, career and family became his central focus and as his reputation in the corporate world grew the opportunity to migrate to Australia arose. It seemed like an exotic and exciting adventure and now, years later, with twin teenage boys and a loving wife, an adventure that has paid dividends in terms of quality of life and career success.

Despite that success and relative comfort, something gnawed away internally and it was the beautiful poetry of football that sought to re-ignite his passion, despite being without a close affiliation to the game for over ten years.

As is the case with many amateur football players, the large portion of their athletic years are taken up with work and family commitments and the game seduces them again through age restricted competition.

Such was the case with Boyle, as he was lured back by competitive football, playing for the St Michaels Knights and simultaneously working with a senior ladies team in a coaching capacity.

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Looking after the Under 11’s SAP squad at NPL side Granville Rage, eventually led to an opportunity to mentor the FNSW U12MetWest team at the State titles in Mudgee, where his boys played strongly and won five from nine matches with two draws thrown in for good measure.

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(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)

This upcoming season will see him work with NPL side Stanmore Hawks at Under 13 level.

There is nothing particularly astonishing about his football journey and Boyle himself has something of a humble assessment of his own talent as a player, “I wasn’t a great player, I had a solid passing game and pretty good vision.”

One of Boyle’s kids has Celtic first team coach John Kennedy as a godfather, a man who shares Boyle’s passion and ideals and the two have been life-long friends.

What is apparent in the forty-seven year old Scot, is a refreshing junior development philosophy that is inspiring a new endeavour.

As part of our discussion, we had arranged to never utter the word academy, as Boyle’s vision for developing thinking footballers is somewhat at odds with the existing structures.

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As parents fork out vast sums to see their talented youngsters given expert tuition, high quality competition and a feeling that their sons and daughters are in the best position to maximise their footballing potential, Boyle sees a rather sad side to the system.

The ultra-competitive environment in junior football development structures fails to keep kids engaged with the game for its sheer joy and leads to disenfranchised players feeling they have failed.

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Boyle recalled watching under five players competing in a trial for which parents had payed $85 for the privilege.

Personally, I am not sure for what purpose this ‘trial’ was held, however, the dollar figure could potentially have had more significance to the organiser than the kids themselves.

The ‘one size fits all’ nature of representative selection is another of Boyle’s gripes.

Seeing ‘tall timber’ selected, based purely on their height, at the expense of more skilled players who are consistently told they are too ‘small’, is another source of his frustration.

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In turn, this feeds through to instruction, as players are taught to perform skills technically and run choreographed drills, with little emphasis on the most important attributes of a footballer; thinking and decision making.

Seeing one of his own sons consistently told that he lacks the size required for representative football in this country, despite both Everton and Celtic having him on their radar, further infuriates a man who sees more than the physical dimensions of the athlete.

Boyle’s mantra is simple and born of the great Andrea Pirlo; football is played with the mind and the feet are the tools.

When selecting his MetWest team, Boyle was approached by club representatives from some powerful junior nurseries who suggested taking the bulk of their squad. Something of a red rag to a bull, Boyle chose a few, yet found talent elsewhere.

One young boy was selected without any academy or rep experience. Officials were aghast that a park footballer dare be selected above their boys.

The team Boyle took to Mudgee for the tournament was therefore smaller than most yet fleet of foot and the young boy from outside the system was one of the most influential in the side. He has subsequently become a representative Under 13 player.

These experiences have sparked an altruism in Boyle and led to the establishment of his own school. With a difference that is.

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Caledonia football will be a small boutique school without exorbitant expenses for parents and a place where players are encouraged to think about football in a new way.

Designed for players between the ages of 12-16 of both sexes, the school aims to fine tune the skills of players who may have fallen victim to some of the inadequacies found in the current system.

Watching hundreds of players trial for a handful of positions and seeing disappointed kids walk away with nothing more than a ‘you’re too small’ or similar pointless comment, has broken Boyle’s footballing heart.

Rather than succumbing, he has contacted local clubs, designed the school kit and mapped out a training schedule for the upcoming year.

Boyle’s intention is to run a weekend camp in January over two half days and then work with his students one additional session per week to supplement their club training.

I for one, will give him a hand. His experience and knowledge are extensive and the purity of his vision is honourable.

There is something about true footballing people. Something in their blood. Something that twinkles in their eye when a youngster kicks a ball and really, isn’t that what the game is all about?

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