The Leicester Panthers Academy
Our Goal
The Panthers believe in developing players to support and enhance the first team squad and has a detailed academy structure in place to help achieve this goal.
Players within the Academy are given the best opportunity to develop based upon their individual needs and growth.
Our Operations
The Academy operates within the official BAFA (British American Football Association) regulations meaning that all progress is governed and regulated accordingly.
We have taken to role of an American football hub in the city and the wider Midlands after an amalgamation of the Leicester Falcons Youth, the Rugby Rhinos and the Leicester Huntsmen Youth Flag teams.
Flag teams are registered from Under 11s to Under 17s. All play in friendly regional competitive leagues with local teams while our youth contact teams both play in competitive regional leagues.
All Academy coaches are BAFA level 1 certified and follow a stringent appraisal system and CPD programme, All Head Coaches are BAFA level 2 certified. In order to ensure the coaching delivered is fresh, relevant and engaging the programmes are subject to regular reviews from our two directors who are serving Great Britain coaches.
Our Playing Philosophy
Across all 3 levels of the sport (Flag, Youth Contact and Senior Contact) all teams will display these distinct philosophies:
Show respect - Everyone matters. Everyone contributes. We embrace all people for who they are regardless of status, title or background. We celebrate diverse opinions and perspectives. We honour hard work and commitment. Every contribution makes us better.
Show integrity - We always do what is right not what is easy even when no one is looking, and even if it's unpopular when they are looking. We demand accountability and we expect fair play. We say what we mean, mean what we say, and always follow through. We accept responsibility when we get things wrong and then work to make them right.
Show responsibility - As a team, we support one another. We depend on one another. No individual or individual talent is more important than the team. Everything we do has a consequence for someone else. Show up for training and give it your all. We humbly strive to make our team, our players, parents, and our community proud and better.
Show resiliency - We set high standards, and continuously strive for excellence. Anything is possible. No matter how great the obstacles, we overcome adversity. We adapt to changing circumstances and lead in new contexts. We embrace the greatest challenges and rise to meet them.
Our Coaching Philosophy
The Leicester Panthers Academy ensures that the player will always remain at the centre of our entire organisation. We consciously aspire to meet the players needs and continually challenge and appropriately stretch them in all areas of their development with us as an Academy. The Academy aims to create an environment that encourages cross-communication, recruits and develops passionate individuals to challenge, debate and discuss the game and our organisations beliefs and philosophy with the player ALWAYS at the centre.
Each coach has outlined to them what is expected of them within the specific development phase. We endeavour as an Academy to make our expectations simple to understand and provide a blueprint of how our Academy players are coached. This is supported by in-service sessions and the use of the technical coaching programme
They ensure that players are stretched and challenged throughout fixtures and place learning and development at the forefront of their minds, NOT the result. Coaches are again, punchy and logical with their briefings within and after fixtures, whilst being empathetic to the emotions of the players having participated in a passionate activity, without wavering from their and the club's standards. Coaches are early to all meets, enthusiastic and prepared for every contact with players.
Coaching is not limited to the pitch; our coaches are committed to support the learning of all our players through several off-pitch methods. Fixtures are filmed, each age group will have access to game film and coaches can refer to clips, games, moments when discussing with players their development. Coaches are not limited to face-to-face contact; they also deliver reviews and are able to interact via Hudl.
The players, parents and all staff at Leicester Panthers Academy all adhere to and reflect the Standards of Performance outlined at the start of every season. These Standards capture what it means to be a part of the Academy and identify how every person has a responsibility to enhance the reputation of the Academy by valuing the Safety, Learning & Respect of its members.
Our Welfare Statement
Our long term aim at Leicester Panthers American Football Academy is to produce elite level American footballers in an environment that is safe and secure, however at the same time challenging player’s needs. We recognise that the success of the academy is a partnership between the player, parent and staff, with all parties playing an active role to support the player in achieving his goals. We will endeavour to develop young people who will go on to be a credit to themselves , their families and the Leicester Panthers Academy.
At Leicester Panthers Academy we strongly believe in the development of the individual and seek to continually stretch each player on and off the pitch, analysis and game play. We continue to strive to improve all elements of the Academy programme and demand that players on our programme do the same.
Our Mission
Our long term aim at Leicester Panthers American Football Academy is to produce elite level American footballers in an environment that is safe and secure, however at the same time challenging player’s needs. We recognise that the success of the academy is a partnership between the player, parent and staff, with all parties playing an active role to support the player in achieving his goals. We will endeavour to develop young people who will go on to be a credit to themselves , their families and the Leicester Panthers Academy.
At Leicester Panthers Academy we strongly believe in the development of the individual and seek to continually stretch each player on and off the pitch, analysis and game play. We continue to strive to improve all elements of the Academy programme and demand that players on our programme do the same.
Academy Contacts
Academy President Ian.Barnsby@Leicesterpanthersacademy.co.uk
Academy Secretary Ben.Goodman@Leicesterpanthersacademy.co.uk