FOUNDATION GROUP

Our Foundation Group is where 4–6 year olds take their first steps into football. It’s a place to play, make friends and build confidence through movement and games.

We run every Saturday 10–11am on our all-weather pitch at Beechfarm. In winter we move indoors at Moorside High School.

No pre-registration needed. Turn up, enjoy the session and join in. Each week is £3.

This is the start of their football journey. Our aim is to inspire a love of the game that lasts.

WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION GROUP?

WHAT WE FOCUS ON

Ball mastery, get the players confident with the ball at their feet

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Creativity and Decision-Making. We encourage players to try things, fail and learn

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Teamwork and Respect. They learn how to work with others

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Fun & Engagement. If they aren’t smiling, we’re doing it wrong

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THE FOUNDATION EXPERIENCE

Children and adults are playing and walking on a grassy sports field enclosed by a fence, with tall trees and houses in the background on a clear day.

Children should enjoy their first taste of football.
Sessions are energetic, varied and welcoming.
Every player is coached, encouraged and supported.

DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY

Children stay in the Foundation Group until they are ready for structured U7 football.

Children attend until age 6.

1

When are about to enter school Year 2, we create U7 teams for the following season.

2

Once in teams, they stop coming to Foundation Group and begin training and matches with their teammates.

3

AT MOORSIDE RANGERS WE DEVELOP THE WHOLE PERSON

VIEW DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY

PARENTS ROLE

When children move into U7 football, many of our teams are coached by parents.

We support volunteers with training, safeguarding and mentoring so they can give their children and others the best start.


Being involved in your child’s journey is rewarding. We’ll help you every step of the way.

Group of young boys in soccer uniforms posing on a soccer field in front of a goal net.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Absolutely. The Foundation Group is designed for beginners.

    You don’t need:

    • prior football experience

    • advanced skills

    • confidence on day one

    Some children will be kicking a ball for the very first time. Others may have played a bit at school or in the garden. That mix is expected and normal, and sessions are planned so everyone can take part and improve at their own pace.

    Coaches adapt activities to:

    • make things easier when needed

    • add challenge for children who are ready

    • keep the focus on enjoyment and basic skill development

    If your child is curious, energetic, or just wants to have a go, they’ll fit in just fine. Confidence comes after participation, not before it.

    This group exists to welcome children into football.

  • That’s completely normal, especially at this age. The Foundation Group is set up with this in mind.

    Coaches are used to children who:

    • take a little while to warm up

    • prefer to watch first

    • don’t want to be centre of attention straight away

    There’s no pressure to perform and no expectation that a child has to dive straight in. Children are encouraged gently, allowed space when they need it, and brought into activities at their own pace.

    In most cases, once children:

    • see others having fun

    • understand the routine

    • recognise the same coaches and faces each week

    their confidence grows naturally.

  • Yes. Absolutely.

    The Foundation Group is open to both boys and girls. Everyone trains together at this age, and sessions are designed so all children can take part, learn, and enjoy football in a supportive environment.

    There’s no separate pathway needed at this stage and no difference in how children are treated or coached. The focus is on:

    • confidence

    • basic skills

    • enjoyment

    • learning how to be part of a group

    As children get older, there are clear pathways into girls’ teams where appropriate, but at Foundation age the priority is simply giving every child a positive start in football.

  • This is exactly why the Foundation Group moves indoors over the winter. From winter through to early spring, sessions take place inside so children can play safely and actually enjoy themselves, rather than standing around cold and miserable.

    During the outdoor season, if the weather is not conducive to children having fun or staying safe, sessions may be cancelled. This includes things like:

    • heavy or persistent rain

    • unsafe pitch conditions

    • extreme cold or wind

    If a session is cancelled, this will be clearly communicated via the WhatsApp group as early as possible. If you haven’t heard otherwise, the session is going ahead as planned.