Alright, so I decided I wanted to find a proper football academy here in Chennai. Wasn’t sure where to start, honestly, but figured I gotta try, right?
Getting Started
First thing, I just started asking around. Talked to friends who play, guys I see kicking a ball in the local grounds. Also spent a bit of time just searching online. Typed in the obvious stuff, “football academy in chennai”, “chennai football training”, you get the idea. Got a list of names, some sounded fancy, some more local.
Digging a Little Deeper
Okay, so I had this list. Next step was figuring out what’s what. I started looking for basic info on each one. Where are they located? That’s a big one, didn’t want to travel across the entire city every day. What kind of coaching do they offer? What are the timings? Tried to find out about the fees too, gotta know if I can afford it.
- Checked their websites if they had one.
- Looked for any reviews or comments online, though you gotta take those with a grain of salt.
- Made some phone calls. This was interesting.
Making Contact and Trying Out
Calling them up was key. Some places were really helpful, answered my questions straight up. Others, well, took a few tries to get through. I learned you just gotta be a bit persistent, you know? Can’t give up after one unanswered call. Asked them straight up, “Hey, I’m interested, how does it work? Can I come see the place? Are there tryouts?”
Yeah, some places mentioned tryouts. Not like the massive open trials you see on TV, mostly. More like, come down for a session, let the coaches see you play, see if you fit in. Went for a couple of these. It’s mostly about showing you have the basics down and, more importantly, that you’re willing to learn and work hard. They watch how you move, how you handle the ball, your attitude. I wasn’t playing for any big club or anything, just showed up and gave it my best shot.
Some places, seems like they also have people who just watch local games, school tournaments, stuff like that. So, playing regularly somewhere helps, I guess, even if it’s just local pickup games. But for me, I just went and contacted them directly.
Making the Choice
After checking out a few places and doing a couple of trial sessions, I had a better feel for things. It wasn’t just about fancy facilities, though decent grounds help. It was more about the vibe, the coaches, how they interacted with the players. Did it feel like a place I could actually learn and improve?
Location was still a big factor. Had to be practical.
Coaching approach mattered too. Wanted somewhere focused on development, not just winning at all costs immediately.
In the end, I picked one that felt like the right balance. The coach seemed knowledgeable and approachable, the timings worked, and it wasn’t impossible to get to.
Getting Stuck In
So, I joined up. Started going for the sessions regularly. It’s been good. Lots of drills, fitness work, learning tactics. It’s tough work sometimes, but definitely feel like I’m getting better. Just showing up consistently and putting in the effort, that’s the main thing now.
Finding an academy wasn’t super complicated, just took a bit of legwork, making calls, and showing up. If you’re looking, just start asking, start searching, and don’t be afraid to contact the academies directly. That’s what worked for me.
