Professor Martin Roderick, partner of Inspire Futures, has provided some frightening statistics highlighting the necessity of the work we are doing, and how hard it is to not only achieve becoming an elite athlete, but remain there!
- Out of the 1.5 million boys who play organised youth football, only 180 will be signed professionally by a Premier League club, resulting in a success rate of just 0.012%.
- Out of the 12,000 players who make up the academy system, 50% will leave before the age of 16.
- Of those entering a scholarship at 16, 50% will be outside of professional football by 18. If we look at the same cohort at 21 the attrition rate is 75% or above.
- 55% of released academy players were found to be suffering with clinical levels of psychological distress following their careers ending.
