FC Lakeside Academy is proud of being able to cater for local children in Cheltenham from as early as 4 years old. The Academy currently caters for every age group from Under 5’s through to Under 8’s before leaving the Academy and joining the Cheltenham youth League. The Academy currently sits at 100 registered players with that number continuing to increase.

Tim Stokes, Head of the Academy states “Our philosophy as a club is to provide children with an introduction to football in a fun, structured and safe environment. Our ultimate goal is to provide the boys and girls an opportunity to learn the basics of our great game before advancing to the Cheltenham Youth League”

The club is pleased to have 17 Academy Coaches who are able to provide quality coaching and an education to the children. The on-going success of the Academy is down to the commitment and dedication of the coaches who as a team provide a first class facility to develop individual ability and team play.

The Academy is pleased to partner with The Pavilion, the home of C3 Church, a not-for-profit charitable company who continue to host the Academy on Saturday mornings. The outstanding facility in Hatherley Lane, provides a social occasion for Parents and families to gather to support their children. The Academy recently opened a Café to cater for the growing number of supporters which is run by parents. The Club are very grateful for the continued support offered by The Pavilion.

The feedback from an opposing Team Manager in a recent Under 8 friendly fixture pays testament to the quality of the coaching lead by Vijay Budhia (Under 8 Group Leader). “All Kids and parents enjoyed the morning and that’s great to see. My coaches were commenting on how well your kids are progressing, very strong performances from your teams today, well done”

FC Lakeside looks to continue to develop the Academy to provide football in the community for local children while ensuring the continued future success of an ambitious club.