Sherlen Lindsay is an academy coach at Charlton Athletic, joining the club in September 2024 after five years with fellow London club Fulham. 

A Uefa B-licensed coach, he previously worked at both the Arsenal and Crystal Palace development centres. 

His full-time role is supporting the physical education staff at a special educational needs secondary school. 

SCW caught up with Sherlen to discuss his passion for the foundation stage (ages 5-11) why fun is at the heart of everything, and how you can understand your players as individuals… 

SCW: What is it about coaching the foundation phase that you enjoy so much?

SL: "I think it’s one of those phases that in some respects gets a bit left behind, in my opinion. It is something I am quite passionate about.

"As much as I enjoy working with older age groups, I think this is the most important part for me. They are coming into your world and you have got to create it in such a way that they are going to enjoy it, and go home and tell their parents how they have had a great day.

"For me, the foundation phase is the starting point for each player’s journey."

 

SCW: What have you learned from foundation players?

SL: "I’ve learned not to take things too seriously where it doesn’t go to plan. For example, you could design a session you think is going to be right for players A, B and C, and then players B and C have had a tough day at school and that plan kind of goes to shreds.

"You have to have an understanding that everyone’s journey to training or games is going to be completely different from yours.

"If I know I have issues at times before coming to training or games, then we’re sure young people are going to have that, too. So understanding what their experience is like, or their moods and so on, it puts your things into perspective.

"So, learning how to be a lot more free and young at heart, while still doing a good job, is one of the big things that I have learned from foundation-phase players.

 

"For me, the foundation phase is the starting point for a player’s journey..."

 
"As adults, we sometimes hide how we are actually feeling. The kids that I work with - from ages 6, 7 and 8, up until 12 - you see different versions of them on each occasion you have them. It could be that one hour they are feeling one way and then the next hour, they are feeling something different.

"But the fact they keep on enjoying themselves makes you put things in perspective."

 

SCW: There is no such thing as one-size- fits-all, but, for you, what are the elements of a really good foundation session?

SL: "Having fun. I have noticed over the years a lot of emphasis on ’this player’s got to learn this’ or ’they’re not good at this, because they don’t understand that’.

"If you are delivering it in that manner, then you’re putting them under pressure and you’re putting yourself under unnecessary pressure too.

"For me, it’s about having fun. A lot of my sessions start the moment I first greet them in the car park, understanding how their day has been and where their mood’s at.

"If I can’t accommodate their mood, I will speak to my fellow coaches and say, ’Okay, player A, B, or C is not in the state of mind we thought they may be, we may need to adjust a practice for their best interests’.

"Make it as fun as possible because that is what they have come here for. When I played, no matter what age I got to, I still wanted to play the game like I was a kid.

"That involves just having constant fun. And if you can implement your learning style, and have fun alongside it, then, for me, that’s an ideal training session.

"It doesn’t matter what topic you are looking at or what position you would like a player to play, just have as much fun in the learning aspect as possible. Once you get that sorted, your players buy into anything.

"Some coaches I have met ask how I have this energy for the players all the time. It is because they are giving it back to me.

"I am blessed to be in a position where I can work with them and learn from them. If I can make it as fun as possible, then I’m doing my job."