Open Trials Events
Published: April 4th, 2025
For every young talented footballer, one of the most often asked questions is: How do I get scouted? So, how does a young player get these opportunities? Well, let’s look at some of the options to consider.
Today’s ‘Blog Post’ focuses on one of the chapters of my soon to be published ebook titled ‘The Next Level’ where I offer my many years of experience in the ways that players can be viewed by professional clubs.
‘Open Trials’ Events
Open trials are usually offered by private companies and can provide a platform for young players to show their talents in front of a wider audience, including scouts, coaches, and representatives from various clubs. This increased exposure can lead to more opportunities for recognition and recruitment.
Open trials offer a level playing field for all participants, regardless of their footballing background or previous affiliations. Every player has the chance to demonstrate their abilities and impress the football scouts in attendance.
A Learning Experience for all players . . .
Participating in open trials can be an excellent learning experience for young players. A different and to some a ‘new environment’ is added and the fact that there will be many players they do not know, can help them identify their own strengths and areas to develop, motivating them to magnify their skills.
These types of trials bring together players, coaches, and scouts from different regions and clubs. Performing well in open trials can help young players develop mental resilience and the ability to handle high-stakes situations. This can be a valuable trait as they progress on their football journey.
A successful performance in an open trial can lead to invitations for further trials at a professional club, possible recruitment into academies (age appropriate), or even direct offers from clubs. This can be a significant step forward in a young player’s footballing journey.
Scouts attending these open trial events will understand that most players will not know most of the other attendees and they should take this into account. The organisers of these open trials will have contact details of parents for players under the age of 18 and also of players who are 18 or over.
What happens at the end of the open trial event . . .
Usually the normal procedure is for the scouts to identify the players who have impressed and the organiser will forward the player or parent of player details to the scouts for them to make contact. I have attended several of these events during recent seasons, all of which have produced good player performances that have been identified by attending scouts.
Over the years I have been able to connect with many contacts in the football industry. Some of who offer excellent ‘open trials’ events. Below are two contacts who specialise in providing these opportunities that are viewed on the day by scouts from varying levels. I have attended several events organised by both of them, each time being very impressed with the facilities, structure of the trial programme and procedures.
One of them, ‘Nicola’ the manager of Pro 11 Trials, explains the opportunities they provide . . . .
“At Pro11 we currently offer open trials in 10 UK locations for players aged u8-u16 (for both male and female players) and in 2 additional locations (London & Manchester) for players aged u16-u21.
We have also recently expanded to offer exit trials for u15/16s and this year will be hosting our first ever trial for international players, with plans for further locations for open trials for 2026.
At our events our friendly, experienced coaches strive to achieve best performance from trialists so that they can showcase their skills to the scouts in attendance. As a result we average 1 in 3 players being identified following attendance at our events.
Our events are attended by numerous scouts representing all tiers of the football pyramid, however we also have representatives for alternative routes to suit a range of abilities, such as full time education, private academies, agents and international options. To find out more, please visit our website”
or contact us at info@pro11trials.co.uk
Tel: 0161 850 8787
Another contact in the north west is John Fenton, who has built up an excellent football coaching and scouting programme ‘Masterclass Soccer Elite Training Days’
John has kindly offered the details of his programme below;
‘Masterclass Soccer Elite Training Days’ are for players aged 6-18.who want to take their performance to the next level.
The Elite Training Day consists of a 1 hour session with each coach and a 30 minute game in front of watching Premier League & Football League Club Scouts.
This is a unique opportunity to be coached by:
John Fenton – a UEFA/FA Licenced Premier League Academy Coach with over 20 years experience coaching in Premier League Academies.
Callum Hirst – MSc strength and conditioning coach, with many years of experience working with Professional athletes on elevating their physical performance.
‘Masterclass Soccer’ also offers One2One & Small Group Technical Sessions and our Masterclass Soccer App, where players can access training videos and individual training programs.
Instagram:
@masterclass.soccer24
Well done Pro11 and Masterclass, very impressive.
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