What is a Player Profile?
Before the 2000's player profiles were not something that young football players ever considered. Back then football scouting was based on intuition and live observations. Today however, player profiles are a vital tool in progressing your football career with scouts moving to a data driven way of working. In grassroots football player profiles have become a vital tool for showcasing talent and helping players stand out in a competitive environment where visibility is often limited.
Why does it matter?
Saying that player profiles are a vital tool is a bold statement but there are so many ways that player profiles can support you as a young football, it's not all just about getting scouted.
Track your development
No football player is perfect and players are always developing their skills, even the best players in the top leagues improve their skills. Player profiles are a great way for you and your coach to identify the areas you need to improve, and the areas that you thrive in. This will allow you to better yourself as a player and show the best version of yourself to scouts.
Visibility & Discovery
It's hard to deny that football is a very heavily saturated job market, it’s the ultimate dream for so many young people. With so many people trying to reach this dream it can be hard to be seen by the right people at the right time. Player profiles can help you stand out from the crowd.
Personal Branding
One way that player profiles can help you stand out is the way that you present yourself in your profile. It's easy to upload your stats and some videos of your best skills but you need something that sets you apart from everyone else, what makes you unique as a player? Do you have a special trick? Are you a good leader? Show scouts what makes you different from everyone else, make yourself memorable.
Key components of an effective player profile
Now that you know some of the benefits of making yourself a player profile, it's important to understand what needs to be included in one. It's easy to slip into the mindset that you just need to show videos of your technical football skills but it's just as important to show your soft skills. Learn what you need to include to stand out from the crowd.
Personal Information
It's important for scouts to know the basic information about you. Include your age, height, weight and other key metrics about yourself so scouts know if you fit the role they're scouting for.
Position & Role
It's key that scouts know your primary position, that way when they're scouting for a player of your position you'll be in their mind straight away. You could even include your secondary position so they know that your adaptable and that your knowledge of the game isn't limited to one spot of the pitch.
Video Highlights
Video clips are the best way to showcase your skills. These clips will be vital in showing scouts your best skills but also in allowing you to see what you need to work on. The best kinds of videos are ones that show you in action during a proper match. This way you can see more than just your technical ability, but you display your tactical thinking, knowledge of the game and even how you play as part of a team. Videos are where you can really stand out from the crowd.
Physical Attributes
Your physical ability is also something scouts keep an eye out for. Speed, agility, your dominant foot, and even results from fitness tests (such as the bleep test) are what scouts want to know. These stats are also a great way to set yourself some goals. Why not complete a bleep test every month and see how much you've improved compared to last time. It's important to celebrate the small wins.
A focus on physical and mental attributes doesn't mean that player profiles aren't just as useful for players with disabilities. There are 36 leagues in England for Pan disability football as well as leagues for those with visual impairments. Player profiles are great for helping these players improve their skills and set themselves goals with help from their coaches.
Conclusion
For a young, up and coming player a player profile is a vital tool in not only helping them get scouted but helping them to develop their skills and set new goals. Grassroots to Glory has a player profile features built into it, allowing you to share all the information mentioned above and more. Tell scouts all about your club history and your past achievements. Let G2G make it easy for you to show scouts what you're made of.