Wimbeldon call on clubs to teach young players to know there is more to life than football

Wimbledon are encouraging more clubs to develop young players with skills 'larger than football'.

As part of UK Coaching Week, the Sky Bet League Two club's academy are working with UK Coaching to develop players on and off the field by helping to shape individuals holistically, away from the game. There are estimated to be around 10,000 young footballers who play football at academy level but only a handful of those make it into the professional game.

Wimbledon academy manager Michael Hamilton told the PA news agency: «If they are lucky enough to be a footballer, excellent. But football careers are very short careers so we try and give them the tools that help them go and succeed with important life skills.

»Years ago, academies might have been guilty of seeing players as just players but we see our responsibilities as larger than football.

«The rewards and success is going to be huge, being a professional footballer. So many are chasing that goal, however the numbers who want to become pro footballers are in their millions.»

The London club use different development programmes to ensure players are ready for more in life than just football, including matches which empower the players to lead themselves. A practical 'camp' is also held for young players to learn key life skills like cooking, cleaning and how to manage themselves independently.

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Hamilton continued: «We've got the boys to go to a game without a coach and execute a game plan, without the presence of coaches. They manage themselves, it goes wrong, it goes right but in it there are so many rich lessons