The programme is designed specifically for talented and busy children. We appreciate how much talented Prep School pupils take on both on and off the sports field. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t represent their region and enjoy an experience of a lifetime.
We offer talented players an opportunity to develop their ability, play alongside other good players and to represent their District and England in July when the squads travel to Sweden to compete at the Gothia World Youth Cup.
The Lions celebrate another goal!
The best 18 players in each age group are selected for the District ‘A’ squad, playing three to four matches during the spring term against professional Academies and other District teams.
Players who show a high level of ability, but are not selected for the ‘A’ squads, will be invited to join the Development squad. These players will attend the 2025 Gothia World Youth Cup, held in Gothenburg, alongside players who were selected for the ‘A’ Squad. They are also invited to a pre-Tournament Training Camp which takes place in the Easter holidays. Parents will need to cover the cost of the trip to Sweden and the Training Camp.
With 60,000 people at the Gothia Cup Opening Ceremony and over 1600 teams from 90 countries this really is an experience of a lifetime!
The ‘A’ squads
This squad is for the 18 most outstanding players who attended the trials.
The Lions have an ‘A’ squad at Under 11, Under 12 and Under 13 age groups, who will play Academy and other regional District representative sides during the Lent term.
Last season matches have included Arsenal, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Crawley and a Festival at Carshalton FC between the Lions and the South East and Midlands Prep Schools Teams. We have previously played Fulham FC, Reading FC, Wycombe Wanderers, Crystal Palace FC and Brentford FC. A number of players were subsequently invited to trial by these Clubs.
There is a new trial each year, so players who played for the ‘A’ squad last year will need to re-trial again for the coming season.
There are no costs for playing or training with the team, although players are asked to buy their own personalised kit, which they can then keep.
Players in the ‘A’ squad will also be invited to attend the residential training camp and Gothia Cup. They will play in a squad alongside other players selected from trials who impressed the selectors but who did not get selected for the ‘A’ squad.
The fixtures for the ‘A’ Squad will be confirmed in January 2025. We would expect the team to play three/four fixtures during the Spring term. We try to spread these across different days of the week.
We understand that many of these players are already involved in sport at a high level and therefore we do not put high expectations on them in terms of time commitment but we do expect those selected to attend all A squad matches.
Gothia Cup
The Gothia World Youth Cup is the biggest football tournament in the world. With around 80 countries represented and an Opening Ceremony attended by over 60,000 this is an experience of a lifetime!
For more information on our trip to the Gothia Cup, click here.
Easter Training Camps
The Camp provides an opportunity for players to work with top quality staff and train with other talented players in a professional and developmental environment. The Camp will focus on developing physical, mental, social, and technical abilities and attributes. The itinerary for the 2025 camps has not been finalised yet but will likely include:
- Sports Science Team who will conduct group sessions and individual screenings with each player to identify injury prevention and to enhance athletic performance.
- Sessions with Great British Athletes to develop running style, speed and acceleration.
- A freestyle workshop
- Yoga sessions
- Workshops conducted by an FA qualified Football Psychologist looking at developing ‘ mental fitness’. Topics will include relaxation techniques, use of visualisation and imagery.
- Highly qualified and experienced coaches
- Specialist goalkeeping sessions with UEFA qualified goalkeeping coaches including the Arsenal Academy Goalkeeping Coach
The Camp will give an insight into life training as a professional footballer and provide an ideal environment, not only for preparation for the Gothia Cup, but also to develop players’ sporting ability and life skills.
The Camp will take place at Tonbridge School which boasts fantastic sporting facilities, beautiful well-kept grounds and stunning views over London.
An independent set-up run by teachers
We are an independent organisation, run by teachers from various Schools who give their time to provide outstanding opportunities for talented players in our area.
A number of our coaches are Heads of Football at various independent schools in the area. Our coaches understand the importance of offering younger players a great experience and a chance to further develop their game in an enjoyable environment.
Although our Head Coach Dan Abraham is a former Coach at ISFA, we are not run by the Independent Schools FA (ISFA) . We are an independent organisation and are not affiliated to either ISFA or the IAPS.
We are extremely proud of our set-up and the feedback that we receive every year from players across the region. In our first season (2014/15 season) we had 57 independent schools nominating players and this has now grown to over 100 schools who nominate players each year. The Prep Schools Lions offer a fantastic representation of the best players across the region.
Prep Schools Coaches Conference
Every two years we run a Coaches Conference for staff who work in Prep Schools.
