For kids in Melbourne, there are a lot of ways to study and play soccer. Whether your kid has a sudden interest in soccer following the World Cup or has always wanted to play, they'll find opportunities to play one of the world's most popular sports either with academies, private coaching, or just casually with friends wherever they find an open space and some friends to play with.
In this article, we'll be looking at academy coaching and private coaching, the benefits of both, and how your kid can get started with soccer coaching in Melbourne.
Reasons to Learn to Play Soccer with Academies
One of the most common ways for kids to learn about soccer and get experience playing it is through soccer academies.
Before we get to some of the academies in and around Melbourne, here are the reasons your child should consider learning to play soccer with academies.

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Character Development
Most sports are great for character development. Many life lessons can be learned through sports and getting used to both winning and losing are part of it, especially in soccer.
As a team sport, soccer can also teach kids how to work well with others and even deal with being let down by their teammates.
Soccer also can help develop communication and leadership skills while also teaching kids discipline.
Develop Soccer Skills
Naturally, kids will also learn how to play soccer in academies. In addition to learning skills that they can use off the pitch, they'll definitely learn skills that are only useful on a soccer pitch.
Academies can help kids become more rounded players by focusing on soccer skills that wouldn't naturally develop without coaching.
Dribbling, passing, shooting, and defending can all be learned through soccer academies.
Fitness
Soccer academies will also teach kids about fitness and help them to lead healthier lives. As a player's performance is improved by their physical fitness, soccer academies can help kids stay fit by staying active and they can also teach them about healthy lifestyles and proper diet.
Kids who attend soccer academies will likely improve their strength, endurance, and agility as part of their training.
Learn from Professionals
It can help kids a lot to learn how to play soccer from professional coaches because not only are they knowledgeable about the game, but they'll know what young players need to do to get better at it.
Players of any age can benefit from professional coaching and kids in particular will benefit a lot from getting the right guidance from a young age.
Opportunities to Compete
While training and drills are an important part of any sport, competing in said sport is also an invaluable part of development.
Kids attending soccer academies and clubs will get to play competitively against other attendees while also having opportunities to play against other teams.
Pathways to Professional Soccer
Soccer academies and clubs also offer pathways to playing soccer professionally through competitive play and even scouting.
The best academies will have professional scouts attend or even provide opportunities for players to attend scouting events.
Understand Tactics
Soccer is a tactical game and the best players aren't those who just have the skills. Kids at soccer academies will learn more about tactics and how the game is played, making them better soccer players overall.
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Soccer Academies in Melbourne
So now that you know why your kids should attend a soccer academy or club, let's see which ones are there to provide all of these benefits.
Our list isn't exhaustive and what's right for one kid mightn't be right for another, but you can start your search for the right soccer academy or club with the ones we have here.
Elite Football
Elite Football is a soccer academy/club that boasts some excellent training facilities including world-class FIFA synthetic indoor and outdoor pitches.
While they do offer coaching for kids, they also offer specific coaching for young girls and goalkeepers, too.
There are programs for very young kids (ages 3 to 5), pre-academy programs for ages 5 to 10, and school holiday programs.
Football Star Academy
Football Star Academy offers holiday camps, weekly clinics, teams, lunchtime programs, private coaching, and a range of position-specific programs.
They also offer a UK Tour with professional training sessions with English teams like Manchester City, Manchester United, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Futbal First
Futbal First is a soccer and futsal school in Burwood East. The school has both full- and part-time academies, individual training, small-group training, and futsal with the coaching offered by accredited coaches. They also offer holiday programs and camps and tours and tournaments.
Kickstart Soccer
Kickstart Soccer offers programs in South Yarra, St Kilda, and Melbourne. Programs include after-school programs, weekend programs, and school holiday programs for kids aged between 3 and 12.
Melbourne City Football Club
Melbourne City Football Club offers a football school for kids aged between 5 and 14. The football school has a weekly program and school holiday camps.
Melbourne Football Academy
Melbourne Football Academy offers professional coaching to both boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 18.
In addition to the weekly classes that are offered to different age groups, there are also goalkeeping classes, private coaching, and holiday classes during the school holidays.
One Ball
One Ball is an organisation that offers soccer opportunities to children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
One Ball was founded by Kamal Ibrahim, who migrated from Ethiopia to Australia to escape civil war and found soccer as a way to connect with his new community despite not speaking English upon arrival.
Their program is for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 17 and helps them both learn more about soccer while also developing skills they can use elsewhere in their lives.
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Port Melbourne Soccer Club
Port Melbourne Soccer Club is the educational and developmental branch of Port Melbourne Sharks in the National Premier League. There are school holiday programs and teams for ages 7 to 21.
S4S Academy
The S4S Academy has programs for kids aged 5 and up. These programs include the after-school program, holiday program, private lessons, and team programs.
Reasons to Learn Soccer in Melbourne with a Private Coach or Tutor
Soccer is a team sport, but it can also be taught privately with one-on-one coaching. While every aspiring soccer player will need experience playing the sport in a team, there are lots of advantages to getting one-on-one coaching and it's not uncommon for professional players to spend time working with coaches individually as there are lots of benefits to it.
Here are just some of the major benefits of working one-on-one with a private soccer coach.
Better Feedback
By working with a coach one on one, players can get feedback that's specific to them. Just like studying with a private tutor, the feedback applies directly to the student and gives them something to work on.
Build Confidence
Private soccer coaching is an excellent way for players to build confidence. They'll have opportunities to practise skills with just their coach.
Some kids may find team sports daunting, but private coaching gives them a chance to get the hang of soccer before playing with a team.
This is particularly advantageous for kids starting to play soccer a little later than their peers.
Flexible Lessons and Scheduling
While most of the academies we mentioned offer a lot of different programs on different days, if you can't make the appropriate session, there isn't really much you can do other than find a different academy.
With private coaching, you can schedule sessions when they're convenient and have them take place in locations that work for everybody involved.
Learn Faster
Since the coach is only working with one player, that player will learn more quickly than players in larger groups.
With every minute of every session spent focusing on one player, you might be surprised at just how much progress they can make.
Personalised Lessons
Having just one player in the session means that each session is also tailored to them. They can work on the skills that they specifically need to work on.
Not only will the content of the session be adapted to them, but so will the approaches, which means the coach can also choose the coaching techniques that will be most effective for the player.

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Prevent Injuries
Soccer is a physical sport and also comes with a risk of injury. While it's far from the most dangerous sport that children can play, individual coaching can reduce the risk of injury by avoiding physical team play until the child is ready to play.
If you're looking for a private soccer coach for your child anywhere in Australia, just search for soccer and your town on the Superprof website.
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