Background Information
In football at any level there are many factors that may result in players falling short of their potential. Examples may include:
- fitness,
- biomechanics,
- injury,
- nutrition,
- breathing pattern,
- visual function… among many others.
The vision behind Josh Evans Soccer School teaming up with Matt Wallden Elite Health & Performance is to offer Academy players the opportunity to commit to a screening and intervention process that can be both individualised and more general.
Initial Individual Screening Package:
Matt will attend academy sessions to provide assessment of various functional measures associated with football performance and injury prevention.
He will work with each player individually to assess their biomechanical and functional movement profile.
Based on the findings, Matt will create a customised program of exercises or other recommendations for the player, to be delivered at a follow up session. With the parents’ permission, this information will be recorded, and a video of the advice will be provided to the player for reference.
Investment:
The investment for the Individual Screening Package is £80 per player and your place can be secured by booking here.
Who is Matt Wallden?
Matt is a specialist in assessing and working to promote health & performance in elite athletes and those with more demanding health or injury profiles.
Matt has over 20 years of clinical experience and has worked across many fields, including elite sports (Chelsea FC, Charlton Athletic FC, Surrey County Cricket Club, among others). Since 2009, Matt has been the Editor of the Rehabilitation section of one of Elsevier’s most prominent manual therapy journals, and teaches health & fitness professionals here and around the world.
Perhaps most importantly, Matt is a dad and a footballer himself managing one of the Ashtead kids teams; and so understands the dreams and aspirations of the academy players.
Please feel free to email any questions you may have to enquiries@mattwallden.com.
Included with this investment is access to the article “Developing the Soccer Player as an Athlete written by Matt Wallden & Andy Jackson (2003) which will download automatically when you purchase*.
To secure your screening, book here and Matt will be in touch to establish the most convenient time for the session.
*Note, this is a technical article, so not appropriate for the kids – but just to give you a feel of some of the background to how Matt works with athletes.
Testimonials
A testimonial from a Josh Evan’s Academy U9’s Parent:
“I think [the Functional Screening] is a great thing that can be introduced to individuals… the parents need to be on board and not just pay out for something then do nothing with it…
Matt has a very calm way about him and I know that [my son] was listening to every word that he was saying and that he was focussed.
It’s a real shame some don’t do other forms of exercise alongside their football as I think all over body condition is key. I think if younger players were introduced to key exercises that would benefit them from an earlier age this will go a long way in the future.”
Josh Evans Functional Screening from Matt Wallden on Vimeo.
