ERSDA League Registration for Season 2025/2026 is now open and will close on the 30th June 2025. League fee invoices will be issued on the close of the registration window. Please complete the attached form to register https://forms.gle/ksoLYSQZR7JDiN587 Any questions please contact secretary@ersda.uk Thank you.
Grassroots football teams are the beating heart of local communities, nurturing budding talent and fostering a love for the sport among the youth. Despite their essential role, these teams often grapple with significant financial challenges, making it difficult to fund kits, facilities, and other operational costs.
1. Funding Kit and Facilities: Grassroots teams require a steady stream of funds to purchase kits, maintain fields, and provide training equipment. Unlike professional teams, they lack substantial revenue streams such as ticket sales, merchandise, or broadcasting rights. As a result, they often rely heavily on community support and fundraising activities, which can be unpredictable and insufficient.
2. Limited Access to Grants: While there are grants and subsidies available for grassroots sports, the competition for these funds is fierce. Many teams struggle to navigate the application processes and meet the stringent criteria set by grant-giving bodies. Consequently, even the most deserving teams may fall short of securing the financial aid they need.
3. Rising Operational Costs: The cost of running a football team has been steadily increasing. Expenses such as pitch hire add up quickly. Without adequate financial backing, teams may find it challenging to sustain their activities throughout the season.
Local companies can play a pivotal role in supporting grassroots football teams by providing much-needed sponsorship. Here’s why local sponsorship is vital:
1. Financial Stability: Sponsorships offer a reliable source of income for grassroots teams, helping to cover the costs of kits, facilities, and other essential expenses. This financial stability allows teams to focus on developing players and enhancing their performance on the pitch.
2. Strengthening Community Ties: When local businesses sponsor grassroots teams, it fosters a sense of community pride and unity. These partnerships demonstrate a commitment to supporting local youth and investing in the community’s future, which can boost morale and engagement among residents.
3. Enhanced Visibility for Businesses: Sponsoring a local football team provides businesses with a unique platform to increase their visibility. Their logos on kits, banners at matches, and mentions in local media help raise brand awareness and build a positive reputation within the community.
1. Brand Loyalty: Supporting local teams can cultivate brand loyalty among community members. When businesses invest in grassroots initiatives, they are often perceived as caring and community-oriented, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and support.
2. Networking Opportunities: Sponsorships open doors for businesses to connect with other local sponsors, community leaders, and residents. These connections can lead to new business opportunities and collaborations that might not have been possible otherwise.
3. Positive Public Relations: Being associated with community-focused initiatives can enhance a company’s public image. Local sponsorships showcase corporate social responsibility and highlight the business’s dedication to giving back, which can attract positive media coverage and improve public perception.
4. Employee Engagement: Employees of sponsoring companies often feel a sense of pride and connection to their employers when they see their company’s involvement in community activities. This can boost morale and foster a stronger sense of team spirit within the workplace.
Grassroots football teams are the foundation of the sport, providing opportunities for young athletes to develop their skills and passion. However, they face significant financial challenges that can impede their progress. Local companies can make a meaningful difference by sponsoring these teams, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive. In return, businesses gain increased visibility, brand loyalty, and a positive public image, making local sponsorship a win-win for both parties.
Help for team administrators/coaches etc on the use of Comet. Visit the help Portal here
The SFA has introduced their new ‘Player Journey,’ replacing the former ‘Player Pathway’ All SYFA small-sided teams should be sure to follow this format
Applications for the 2025 intake of Scottish FA JD Performance School pupils are now open.
The next intake is open to Primary 7 pupils entering S1 in August 2025 with the programme for players who are eligible to play for Scotland.
The Scottish FA JD Performance Schools are designed for the best young players in Scotland. Watch the video below to see the minimum level expected from applicants.
Pro application: For children currently registered with SPFL clubs only.
Grassroots application: For children not registered with an SPFL club.
Application window is now open.
Complete Professional Club Application here.
Complete Grassroots Application here.
You can register to attend our Information Evening online via the form below, this takes place on Monday, 3 February.
Celebrating 30 Years of ERSDA: A Legacy of Youth Soccer Development
In 2025, the East Renfrewshire Soccer Development Association (ERSDA) proudly celebrates its 30th anniversary. Since its establishment in 1995, ERSDA has been a cornerstone of youth soccer in the East Renfrewshire area of Scotland, fostering a strong community of players, coaches, parents, and fans dedicated to promoting fair play, sportsmanship, and player development.
A Journey of Growth and Achievement
What began with just 23 teams has blossomed into a vibrant organization with over 100 teams competing across various age groups. ERSDA’s structured development programs, including 4s, 5s, and 7-a-side football for children aged 7 to 12, have provided a nurturing environment for young players to develop their skills, build lasting friendships, and experience the joy of the beautiful game.
Expanding Horizons
Over the years, ERSDA has continued to expand its offerings, now including Saturday 11-a-side leagues for players aged 13-17. This expansion has allowed even more young talents to participate in the sport, enhancing their footballing journey and providing opportunities for advancement.
Community and Sportsmanship
ERSDA is more than just a football league; it’s a community dedicated to the development and enjoyment of young players. The association’s commitment to fair play and sportsmanship has earned it a reputation for doing things the right way, ensuring that players not only develop their football skills but also learn valuable life lessons.
Honouring the Committee Members & the dedicated folk behind the scenes
The success of ERSDA would not be possible without the dedication and hard work of its committee members and the numerous people behind the scenes who contribute many hours making sure that ERSDA continues to grow and improve year on year! but, without the coaches, parents & guardians and most of all the hundreds of young players who take to the pitches every week in all types of weather the East Renfrewshire soccer development league would not exist.
Looking Ahead
As ERSDA celebrates its 30th anniversary, it looks forward to continuing its mission of promoting youth soccer development in East Renfrewshire. The association invites players, coaches, parents, and volunteers to join in this exciting journey, ensuring that the next generation of young footballers can enjoy the benefits of playing in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Please note weather warnings are in place for across Renfrewshire today and tomorrow (7th/8th Dec) please check that your match is on before travelling and leave plenty of time as delays due to flooding in some areas. Take care driving and remember to take a brolly 🙂
Courtesy of Team Grassroots
Over the coming months, many coaches will brave winter conditions to deliver coaching sessions to young players. Here, FA regional coach development manager, Martin Dighton, provides ten top tips to help fully engage with players when working outdoors.
1) Young children are not mini-versions of adults
As much as they will be adults one day, the young players in your care are certainly not there yet. We must understand and recognise that we can’t treat them in the same way as we would our peers. We must always have the well-being of each of the children in our care as the priority. The session must fully engage the young players no matter what the weather.
2) Get the players moving as soon as they arrive
In poor weather keeping the players busy is vital. Young children will go cold quickly – almost without noticing – and once they are cold they will really struggle to warm up again. Telling them to run around a bit more won’t help either unfortunately – it’s too late by then.
An arrival activity is vital. The children should arrive warm and getting them active early is crucial. Little games of tag, mini 1v1s or 2v2s, and small fundamental movement games will all do this. Make sure you have this section in your session plan ready to go whatever the weather.
3) No queues and keep all the players involved
Having queues of children waiting for their turn is a big no-no in any session let alone on a cold, wet day. Can you find ways to make sure all the players are all involved all of the time? If you are struggling for equipment could you set up two or three smaller areas rather than one in order to cut down any form of waiting?
4) Use games during training
Consider what the players expect football to look like. What’s the first question they ask: ‘When are we playing a match?’ Wet and cold sessions are perfect for match time as it keeps them all involved and active. Play mini 3v3s on a couple of pitches to keep all involved and then carefully manage how you intervene to coach.
5) Work with individuals rather than stopping the whole group
Children don’t like coaches talking for ages at the best of times but on a wet day it’s even more important to keep communication concise. Can you coach individuals whilst the game plays on around them? Could you give quick challenges to players ‘on the fly’ as they pass you? Could you set yourself a challenge to intervene for no longer than 30 seconds? The kids would really appreciate this.
6) Consider practice design and progression
Spend time on planning the session. Will you use a technique-skill-game format or whole-part-whole or a myriad of other templates? Which will increase playing time the most and which may lead to times of relative inactivity? How can you create excitement and therefore engagement? Can you always have a scoring system in place? Can you ensure that if any defender wins the ball they have a way to attack and score too to keep games flowing?
How you progress the session needs to be thought about too. Can you progress some players without stopping all of them at the same time? Think about working the session with players in groups; perhaps advance the better players first before gradually progressing the weaker players later on, meaning that they’ll get the extra practice time they need. This also means that as you talk to each group two-thirds of your team are still active and warm.
7) If in doubt: play matches
If you’re ever in doubt or get caught by the rain or bad weather half-way through a session revert back to several small matches. Smaller sized matches promote ball contacts, in and out of possession play, transition and game craft. They also ensure that players are never more than one pass away from the ball, so engagement and activity levels stay high.
8) Have some rules about correct kit
It’s important to have some rules or conditions regarding kit. I’ve had children arriving in t-shirt and shorts to sessions in December and I’ve had to take the hard decision to turn them away. Parents sometimes feel that it’s okay because they’ll be running around at football – yes, but they will only be warm if they start warm in the first place. Perhaps having a club wet-weather policy would be a good idea?
We can take note from cricketers playing in early April or late September. They wear lots of thin layers rather than a couple of large ones to keep heat in. Encourage your players to do the same. It’s nothing different to what my mum used to shout as I ran off to training: “You can always take some off, if you get too hot”.
9) Safety and welfare are top priority, but each individual is different
We have a responsibility to the children and their parents to look after them and always to make decisions in their best interests. Safety and welfare are the top priority but we also mustn’t shy away from playing just because the weather isn’t great.
In a grassroots setting I worked in previously we had a rule – if the kids turned up then we would play. It was the choice of the group and their parents if we played. This meant that sometimes we played for just 30 minutes instead of the full hour, sometimes the session plan went out of the window and we just played little games and sometimes we led sessions with only three or four kids.
What we must always understand is that every child is different, some will love and thrive in the terrible weather whereas others will hate it. Either way, they are both likely to remember it for a life time.
We must make certain that our coaching fosters a love of the game and a love of playing it. Make sure that when you are next faced with bad weather you make decisions and plans based on the best interests of the little people that turn up each week to play the great game of football with you.
10) Find a way to use the weather to create memories
Some of my fondest experiences as a kid were playing outside in terrible weather. I still remember my first game in snow and the excitement playing with an orange ball for the first time gave us, the sliding tackles that seemed to last a full 30 yards through the midfield mud-pit and the diving headers that gave such a splash landing that if you timed it well could soak the watching parents.
We must appreciate that we could be building memories for our players; let’s make sure they are positive ones where the kids can’t wait to play the next time it rains. Starting to implement all of the above is a good foundation to start from.
Courtesy of The FA.
The East Renfrewshire Soccer Development Association (ERSDA) has been a cornerstone of youth football in the East Renfrewshire area of Scotland since its establishment in 1995. Over the years, ERSDA has fostered a strong community of players, coaches, parents, and fans, all dedicated to promoting fair play, sportsmanship, and player development.
What began with just 23 teams has now blossomed into a vibrant organization with over 100 teams competing across various age groups. For the current 2024/2025 season, ERSDA is thrilled to announce the inclusion of new teams in age groups ranging from 20010’s through to 2012’s. These additional teams will enhance the footballing journey for our young talents, allowing them to develop their skills, build lasting friendships, and experience the joy of the beautiful game.
Whether you’re a budding player, a passionate coach, or a supportive parent, ERSDA invites you to be part of this exciting expansion. Here’s what you can look forward to:
Playing football in the ERSDA league offers numerous benefits:
ERSDA is more than just a football league; it’s a community dedicated to the development and enjoyment of young players. If you’re interested in joining, whether as a player, coach, or volunteer, we welcome you to be part of our journey. Together, we can continue to promote the values of fair play, sportsmanship, and the love of football..
There are a number of Ersda teams looking for new players to join their ranks, find a team near you from our ‘players Wanted‘ section.
