Shankhill Juniors Football Club
Shankhill Juniors Football Club is a community-based club. They were founded 37 years ago, and offer the chance to learn football skills to boys and girls aged 3 to 16 years.
The club play in The South Belfast Youth Football League (SBYFL) which was established in 1969. At that time there were just 45 teams across three age groups, but now the League has grown to include a membership of 140 teams offering six age groups from U12 to U18.
Shankill Juniors have 9 teams taking part in the SBYFL, starting with Shankill Juniors 2010s up to Shankill Juniors 2019s – the dates relate to the children’s years of birth.
BHR proudly sponsors Shankill Juniors 2018s – it’s the team Daniel’s son, Renn, plays for, so it made perfect sense to us to support them! The 2018s are made up of three smaller teams called Red, Blue and Green. That’s 30 children, with the colour of their team denoting their skill level. They play other clubs in the SBYL who also have Red, Blue and Green teams, which gives them great experience with opposition of the right skill level to let them play and have fun while they learn.
The 2018s don’t compete in a competitive league as such. The set-up is much more about growing their skills and football knowledge, using a system called Small-Sided Games Development.
The value of Small-Sided Games Development is that it provides youngsters with an opportunity to showcase their newly acquired skill and creativity.
They get training and game environments designed to promote the continued improvement of ball skills, increased game awareness, and an appreciation for taking calculated risks in attack.
The small-sided game model is effective because fewer players means they each get more contact with the ball. Plus they can attack and defend without the tactical regimentation of 11 v 11 football.
Competition is a central element in a player’s development, and Shankhill Juniors Football Club provides a competitive environment! However, because it’s not a standard league set-up, they are less result-oriented. That allows the players to learn and grow without the constant stress of having to win.
Instead, players and coach alike are encouraged to try out different decisions and ideas. It’s very focused on performance rather than outcome, favouring ball skills and inventiveness.
The kids work hard, pick up so many techniques, and have a huge amount of fun while doing it.
Shankhill Juniors Football Club were invited to be the anchor at Westvale Park by Belfast City Council, who have built the pitch in the very sports oriented area. The surface is 3G, which means it’s a ‘third-generation synthetic surface’. It’s designed to feeling like you’re playing on real grass.
We’ve become the 2018s team’s shirt sponsor for the season, and it’s great to see them playing with our logo on their chests.
They are doing really well in their development, and we’ll bring you updates as they continue to learn and grow their skills.
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