Charlton’s academy recently held their annual parents evening at The Valley.
Hosted by Steve Avory, Rhys Williams and David Chatwin, the event saw players and parents alike gather in SE7 as academy staff delivered a number of vital messages for the current season.
Avory explained: “This is a unique occasion, I feel, where we get five age groups together like this - three age groups last night. The staff are here as well; everybody is together, you know, the Charlton academy family over two nights.
“Already I’m looking at it now just before I go up and speak to them and I’m feeling quite proud seeing all of the boys here in this gathering,” beamed the academy manager. “It goes back to whenever I started, so I go back to 2001 as assistant academy manager speaking at this event.”
Chatwin, Lead Youth Development Phase Coach, added: “It gives us a chance to give some really key messages to the players and parents about everything to do with player development and expectations, both from parents and players. And just what they can expect in this second part of their journey; the first part is the foundation phase but this is the 12s to 16s. It gets a little bit closer, it gets up to scholarship and it’s a slightly different message.
“It’s great to get everyone in the same room,” he continued. “As I say, share key messages with parents and families. It’s great to get the families in, all in one place where we can really explain to them certain youth development principles, but also how to parent the elite athlete and the pressures and the commitment that comes with that that we always appreciate. So, it’s really good to bring people together under one roof because we haven’t had a chance to do it for a while.
“Dillon Phillips, Ezri Konsa, Karlan Grant, Kasey Palmer, obviously Joe Gomez, Alfie Doughty, Albie Morgan, Jonjo Shelvey, you name it, they’ve been here,” added Chatwin. “Probably even Scott Parker going back as far as that. It’s a vital part of our year and something that we like to do.
“I think it’s just something that everyone in the academy is keen to share their expertise and it’s an open house here; we’re very much into holistic development and that includes the family, player, the school, the staff so it’s a great thing to do.”
Charlton fans can support the academy by signing up to the Valley Gold scheme. Valley Gold enables fans to support the clubs academy in unearthing the talents of tomorrow, as well as giving them the chance to win cash prizes.
Click here for more information on how you can become a Valley Gold member.