In the Junior team I run we’ve recently welcomed back a young player who has been missing for over 12 months with a condition called Osgood Schlatters. This is a reasonably common condition and it’s certainly not the first occasion I’ve lost a young player to it for a period of time. This time though, it got me wondering, just how effectively I’d managed their absence and had I been fair to them and to others in the time they’ve been missing?
In a world where it’s all too easy for young people to feel isolated, is there anything as isolating as being injured while the game carries on around you? One week you are part of the routine and the next you are standing still, watching from the edge of the pitch with a sense of frustration or worse still, at home whilst everyone else is out enjoying themselves.
At our level, where football is often a big part of a child’s social life and personal identity, an injury lay-off will not only affect the body but it will also reach into confidence, motivation and self-belief in ways that are easy to overlook.
Clearly Grassroots clubs do not have the resources available to Academies and the professional game. There are no dedicated medical teams, no psychologists, potentially only volunteer welfare officers who won’t be in a position to monitor wellbeing behind the scenes to the same extent. Virtually all clubs rely on volunteers giving their time, energy and care alongside jobs, families and other commitments. Yet this isn’t a reason to leave grassroots football powerless. In some ways, it offers an advantage. The closeness of the environment, the familiarity between players and the shared sense of belonging mean that support can be more personal and more meaningful. The challenge is often in recognising an injury as a whole-person experience and responding with intention rather than letting absence become detachment.
For the adult players I work with, football is far more than a weekly kickabout. It’s a release from work, a fixed point in a busy weekly calendar and a full social circle rolled into one.
When injury strikes, that structure can disappear overnight and players have described to me a feeling of being surplus to requirements, even when no one has made them feel that way. Our training sessions continue, our matchdays are the same as ever and without any sort of deliberate effort from our club, the injured player can start to feel invisible. That sense of being on the outside can drain motivation and over time push people away from the squad altogether.
In junior football, the emotional impact can potentially be even sharper. Young players are still forming their sense of identity and often struggle to articulate how being stuck on the sidelines makes them feel. Missing matches is effectively missing friendships, progress and recognition all rolled into one. For some children, particularly those who lack confidence elsewhere, football can be their main source of belonging. An injury lay off can create quiet fears about being replaced or forgotten, even if their absence is a short one.
I’ve come to realise that without reassurance these worries can linger long after the injury itself has healed.
One of the most effective strategies for clubs to support injured players is by keeping them connected. This does not require grand gestures, but it does require some attention. When injured players stop turning up, it is often assumed they are resting or busy or getting on with other aspects of their lives, when in reality they might just feel awkward about attending or unsure of their place in the structure. A simple message checking in, an invitation to come down to training or a lift to a match can make a big difference. These small actions send the clear message that you still belong here.
By allowing injured players to remain part of matchdays by sitting with the squad, helping with equipment or simply being in the team talk it helps maintain the social bonds that are such a part of our game. For junior players, being asked to support teammates and take on simple responsibilities such as helping to set up can reinforce a sense of purpose. The key to this is how these roles are framed. It shouldn’t feel like consolation prize, but like genuine contributions that makes a difference to the group.
Pairing an injured player with a mentor, potentially an older player who has been through a similar setback, can help with normalising feelings of frustration and doubt. Hearing that others have felt the same way and come through the other side can be reassuring. I’ve found that in adult teams, these conversations tend to happen naturally anyway between teammates much more than they do between player and coach.
For younger players, consistent check-ins from a coach or assistant can be valuable and these conversations don’t need to focus on football alone. Asking how school is going, what they are enjoying outside the game or how they feel about returning helps children process the experience more fully. What matters is consistency and a genuine interest, not any particular level of expertise.
Offering alternative ways to contribute can also help restore a sense of agency to an injured player. Injury often leaves players feeling powerless, particularly when their progress with recovery is slow or unpredictable. In senior teams, injured players might help lead warm-ups, observe matches from a tactical perspective or assist with planning sessions. This keeps them engaged and can deepen their understanding of the game. This can actually lead them to returning as more thoughtful players, having gained a new or different perspective while on the sidelines.
Obviously in junior football, alternative roles need to be carefully matched to age and personality. Helping with set out the cones, supporting younger teams or assisting in small ways can really help with building confidence and responsibility without adding any pressure to a young person. However, these roles should always be optional. Some players will welcome the chance to stay involved, while others might need their space and respecting their choice is part of any meaningful support.
Clear, compassionate communication underpins all of this response. Injured players often feel uncertain about what’s expected of them. Should they disappear until they’re fit to play again? Should they attend every match to demonstrate their support? Every training session? While it’s not for any grassroots club to offer unqualified medical guidance, they can definitely provide clarity around involvement and support. Honest conversations reduce anxiety and reinforce trust and signal that the player is valued as a person, not just for what they offer on the pitch.
The return from injury is another critical moment as many players feel pressure to come back too soon, driven by fear of losing their place or letting teammates down. That pressure might not always be explicit but it can be subtly communicated through tone, body language or offhand comments which need to be considered. Even when a player is physically ready, their confidence can often lag behind and they take some building up.
Anxiety about a reoccurrence of an injury can lead to a reluctance to fully commit. A supportive environment that recognises this gap and allows players to rebuild trust in their bodies gradually is ideal and patience, reassurance and understanding from teammates & coaches can make the difference between a smooth return and a prolonged struggle.
As always, our language as coaches plays a powerful role with this and casual remarks about players being “soft” or “not up for it,” even when intended as humour, can undermine their confidence. Creating a culture where injuries are taken seriously, encourages openness and this is particularly important in environments where toughness is prized and vulnerability is quietly discouraged.
Coaches should also be mindful of players who experience repeated injuries. Over time, these individuals may begin to question their place in the game. Supporting them requires a level of sensitivity and reassurance that their value does not diminish with time spent on the sideline and in junior football, parents and carers are an essential part of this picture.
Clear communication with them helps align expectations and reduces anxiety around recovery and return. Encouraging families to focus on enjoyment, confidence and gradual progress rather than speed reinforces a healthier approach to injury management.
None of this stuff requires any funding or specialist knowledge, it just requires an awareness, some empathy and some follow through. These small actions repeated over time often matter more than the grand gestures. Supporting players through their injury lay- offs is not just about results or retention, though both benefit, it’s about recognising the human side of our game. Players give their time, energy and commitment because football offers connection and belonging and when injury interrupts that relationship for them, our response can shape how players feel about the game for years to come.
