Introduction

Football academies world-wide provide people with a pathway to becoming
a professional player. In the UK, approximately 12,000 young people
aged 9-21 are enrolled within these elite sporting environments at any given time.1 However, less than 0.5% will secure a professional career, with the majority being released during early adolescence.2 These academies are regarded as high- pressure environments that are often associated with negative outcomes such as psychological distress, fear of failure and emotional exhaustion. Consequently, academies have a duty of care to support the wellbeing of players.3