Record 1,200 children turn out for Wrenhaven Athletic's academy open trials

The cones were out by eight in the morning and the water bottles lined up in long rows along the touchline. By the end of the weekend, Wrenhaven Athletic's academy had seen around 1,200 children aged eight to fourteen at its open trials, the highest number since the club began holding them and roughly double the turnout of three years ago.

The sessions took place at the club's training ground on the edge of Northfield, with six pitches running in rotation. Each group of 24 players had 50 minutes: a warm-up, small-sided games and a short passing circuit. Parents watched from behind a rope line, some with folding chairs, many with umbrellas they did not end up needing. A small tent by the car park handed out numbered bibs, and a physiotherapist from the club's medical team was on hand throughout, though she reported nothing more serious than a few grazed knees.

Academy manager Siobhan Kearney said the club had expected a busy weekend but not quite this busy. Registrations closed early after the online form reached its limit, and an extra afternoon slot was added for children who had signed up through school partnerships.

What the coaches look for

Kearney was keen to stress that the trials are not about finding finished players. Coaches score attitude, decision-making and how quickly a child recovers after a mistake, alongside technical skill. "A ten-year-old who loses the ball and immediately chases back tells us a lot," she said. "Size and speed change. Habits tend to stay."

Most of these children will not join the academy, and we want every one of them to leave still loving the game.

Around 60 players will be invited back for a second look over the coming weeks. Those who are not selected will receive a short written note from a coach and a list of grassroots clubs near where they live. The club said that last year more than 200 children joined a local team after attending the trials.

Girls made up 31 per cent of participants, up from 18 per cent two years ago, a change the club links to its new under-12 and under-14 girls' sides. Dele Abiodun, who brought his daughter from Millbrook, said the atmosphere was relaxed. "She was nervous in the car and talking non-stop on the way home," he said. "Whatever happens next, that was worth the trip."