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PODCAST

It"s Only Kids Football

Ben Welch and Mike Clark

Ben Welch is figuring out how to be a decent kids football coach and a better Dad.He"s joined by coaching experts, ex-pros as well as football industry folk and internet friends to help him navigate the minefield of parenting and grassroots kids football.It"s meant to be for fun, but sometimes it"s hard to remember - It"s Only Kids Football.Links: https://linktr.ee/itsonlykidsfootballpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

sports soccer

All Episodes

48:42

Kieran Gibbs: Crying over missed pens, battling for a...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/07/21

In this episode of It’s Only Kids Football, Ben and Mike are joined by former Arsenal and England full-back Kieran Gibbs for a chat about the grassroots experiences that shaped his professional journey and the mission driving his post-playing career.From Sunday mornings with the Purley Panthers to the pressure cooker of Hale End and winning trophies with the Gunners, Kieran shares vivid memories, hard lessons and the importance of keeping the joy in kids’ football. He talks candidly about the

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1:01:25

This is what makes grassroots football so special

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/07/14

Ben and Mike mark 50 episodes with a tournament win that means way more than it should. They laugh, cringe and nearly cry as they relive the game, the chaos, and the goal that set off a celebration even more embarrassing than Mike’s tiny car.They relive every kick from the tournament and talk about what these little moments really mean as dads and coaches. They also reflect on two recent friendlies: a dominant display against the Greens where everything clicked and a tough loss to the Blues that

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53:24

How parents and coaches can build confident young...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/07/07

This week, Ben and Mike sit down with Paul Horwood, co-founder of PL One Goalkeeping, the leadinggoalkeepingacademy in Essex.From transforming our very own Alby into confident shot-stoppers to dealing with parents on the sidelines, Paul shares honest, practical advice for coaches navigating the unique challenges of developing youth goalkeepers.Drawing on his extensive experience, Paul shares insights into spotting natural talent, prioritising confidence and bravery over perfect early technique and

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52:10

Neuroscientist explains how playing football impacts...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/06/30

This week, Ben and Mike are joined by renowned neuroscientist and best-selling author, Dr Dean Burnett, to explore what’s really going on inside young players’ minds and why even the calmest parents can turn into full-blown lunatics on the touchline.From daydreaming and memory lapses to executive function and emotional regulation, Dean unpacks the science behind how children develop and why grassroots football is a uniquely chaotic learning environment for players and parents alike.They also dig

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48:02

The coach who teaches kids to listen and find their...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/06/23

This week, Ben and Mike sit down with Josh Paul, the inspiring coach behind Fit4Football, to explore the power of the “three-second rule” to the simple, game-changing strategies that keep kids engaged. Josh shares his no-nonsense wisdom on getting players to listen, talk and move with purpose. They unpack the realities of grassroots football—losing players, managing teams and dealing with social media trolls and dive into how to help kids build awareness, develop leadership on the pitch and bounce

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49:32

Ben's dad talks tough love, crunching tackles and...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/06/16

This week, Ben and Mike are joined by Danny Welch - Ben’s dad - for a brutally honest, funny and nostalgic deep-dive into youth football, fatherhood and tough love.Danny reflects on his old-school approach to parenting, his sideline shouting and why he believed being hard on Ben was the only way to build resilience. They swap stories of freezing rain, tough tackles and touchline scraps, painting a vivid picture of what kids' football looked like in the ‘90s and just how much it’s changed

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33:53

Presentation night: Risky jokes, lost car keys and...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/06/09

This week on It’s Only Kids Football, Ben and Mike are crawling out of the wreckage of presentation night to relive the laughter, logistics and tears of their team’s end-of-season awards.The duo break down who won what, how the kids performed throughout the season and why every player went home feeling like a star. From picking walkout music for each player and the response to some questionable jokes to Alfie’s mindset breakthrough and Alby's inspirational turnaround, this episode takes you inside

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42:41

When kids' football takes over your life

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/06/02

This week, Ben and Mike are joined by Mike's wife and Raph's mum... Estelle Clark, for a refreshingly honest conversation about what it’s like when your family signs up for grassroots football… and it takes over your life.Estelle opens up about the good, the stressful and the downright ridiculous: from losing weekends to social plans ruined by tournaments. She talks parenting guilt, football obsession and learning what “lock on” means.She explains how she flopped as kit manager, how Mike’s role as

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58:50

Proud mum on son's rise from struggling player to...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/05/26

This week, Ben and Mike are joined by Gemma Davies, proud mum of Alby, the goalkeeper who went from pirouettes and daydreaming to a fearless shot-stopper. It’s a funny and deeply honest look at what it’s like to watch your child struggle in youth football — from Alby’s unpredictable early days outfield to the surprising moment he found his calling in goal. Gemma gets real about the challenges of watching on the sidelines, the guilt that follows tough car journeys home and the emotional weight

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45:52

The meltdown that sparked positive change

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/05/18

This week, Ben and Mike dive into a tournament day full of sunshine, thrilling football and a semi-final face-off that left everyone in shock. But this one’s not just about the results, it’s about the messy, beautiful business of raising kids through football. There’s Alfie’s meltdown that triggered a total rethink on parenting and coaching, a mindset coach who helped turn it around and Mike has his own wobble after snapping at Raf mid-game and reflects on the challenge of keeping calm when your kid

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52:24

10 years coaching my son and why I had to walk away

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/05/12

In this episode, Ben and Mike sit down with Dave and Billy, father and son, coach and player, for a raw and emotional look back at their 10-year grassroots football story. What started as a simple volunteer gig turned into a decade of highs, heartbreaks and sideline memories that shaped them both.As Dave steps away from coaching, he reflects on the emotional weight of managing young players, the tough choices that come with being “Dad” and “Gaffer,” and why he wouldn’t trade it for anything. Billy

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40:00

The mindset coach every kid (and parent) needs

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/05/05

This week, Ben and Mike sit down with elite mindset coach Matt Baxter for an episode that digs deep into the emotional lives of young athletes and their parents. From confidence crashes and comparison traps, Matt talks through the common themes troubling young athletes and how parents and coaches can help them. Matt shares the everyday mindset tools he uses to help kids bounce back from mistakes and how parents can be their child’s greatest coach. They unpack the emotional toll of parenting boys in

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53:51

The three-second rule that changed everything

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/04/28

This week, Ben and Mike wrap the final three games of the season. From a triumphant win overshadowed by tears to a painful derby defeat, this episode explores what happens when kids lose confidence on the pitch.We hear how Alfie's off day became a turning point thanks to a powerful parenting tool called the “three-second rule” and why it’s helping players (and parents) process mistakes and move on. There’s also plenty of laughter, including some top-tier nibbling from a rival coach and a moment of

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55:30

The coach that transformed the way our kids play...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/04/21

This week, Ben and Mike are joined by Frankie Hession-Harris, the mastermind behind Ballers Elite. In this episode, we hear about Frankie’s experience playing in the U.S. college system and how it shaped his approach and why he believes repetition, ball mastery, and 1v1s are the real building blocks of brilliance. He explains why he stays quiet on the touchline, how mixed messages from coaches and parents can cloud young players' minds and how Ballers creates confident kids who play with flair and

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53:00

When coaching your kid breaks your heart

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/04/14

Ben and Mike are back and this one gets messy. Fresh from an unforgettable visit to Tottenham’s training ground, where their sons squared off against academy talent, the dads are riding high on pride... but it doesn't last long.The team gets dismantled by a man-child on a mission to break every goalscoring record in a single game and when emotions boil over, complete with full-blown meltdowns from both boys during and after the match, Ben and Mike are left asking: Are we doing more harm than

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1:07:20

Why your behaviour could make your child quit football

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/04/07

Ben and Mike are joined by some actual experts this week – which is a first. Ex-pro Katie Chapman and psychologist Dr. Simon Moore are here to drop some truth bombs about how we really impact our kids' game.Turns out, it's not just about the kids on the pitch. We're diving deep into sideline confessions, with Ben and Mike admitting they've been part of the problem.During their fascinating chat, they explore the fight for control – why parents struggle to let go, why it all goes so wrong, angry

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56:23

Social media meltdowns, touchline tantrums and a box...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/03/31

Ben and Mike are buzzing after a couple of wins – turns out, it only takes a sniff of success to turn these two into emotional wrecks planning birthday parties like they're 21 again.But don't get comfy, because controversy is never far away. Ben's managed to spark a full-blown touchline war and attract the wrath of the social media police.Plus, there's a deep dive into the joys and stark lessons of 7-a-side football and Ben's trying to smooth things over with a box of chocolates after upsetting

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55:59

The fine line between pushing too hard and not...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/03/24

The lads are back, and this week, it’s all about the minefield that is coaching your own kid. Ben’s convinced he’s holding his son to impossible standards, Mike’s trying (and failing) to stay calm and they’re both wondering if they should start charging parents just to keep themselves in check.But things get deeper (and a bit existential). How do you actually know if you’re pushing your kid too hard or not hard enough? Catalan Soccer’s Matt Ogden in the hot seat, dishing out wisdom on coaching

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46:30

Bald managers, touchline rivalries and a derby day clash

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/03/17

Ben and Mike are back and this week they’re breaking down two big games: one where they were unlucky and one where they were actually good (a rare moment of self-praise) and of course, there's reflection on their latest emotional breakdown.But controversy is never far away. Ben is accused of breaking touchline rules (again) and sparking s touchline war with rival fans, while Mike is begging for sponsorship (again) and the boys put in their best team performance yet. Plus, how coaching from both

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52:08

What's the secret to coaching kids? Ex-Prem coach...

It"s Only Kids Football ·

2025/03/10

Ben and Mike call in the big guns, elite coach Edu Rubio, to help them crack formations, teamwork and how to stop their lads from bunching. Along the way, they confront their own coaching disasters, debate England vs. Spain’s youth setups and uncover the real secret to coaching kids: it’s not tactics - it’s psychology. The key takeaways? Get to know your players and make them feel valued, because coaching isn’t just about formations and winning. Praise progress, not just results and focus on

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71 results

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