About Us.
The Academy Player is one of the fastest-growing technical football trainers in Europe, placing significant emphasis on developing the technique of all players - from grassroots all the way up to the Premier League. We believe that technique is a massively important component to a performer in the modern game, although it is not worked on enough by players to elevate their game to the next level. Hence, with our unique facilities and original drills, we focus on bringing technical development to the forefront in our training sessions. In these, we place great emphasis on the use of transferrable skills for match-realistic situations, whilst also developing other components of performance such as decision-making and awareness.
Our Journey.
We first launched our journey with The Academy Player in 2017, with UK owner and head coach Jack Gostelow and US owner and head coach Ali Simmons, establishing ourselves in London and New Jersey (now relocated to Florida). Jack and Ali have excellent knowledge about football coaching and the academy football system, and have used this in the process of establishing a global brand. Here at The Academy Player, we have built an ever-growing collection of our own drills, helping to get the best out of the players they train, as well as influencing hundreds of thousands of others through the major footprint which the brand has on social media today.
Jack Gostelow
UK Owner & Head Coach;
U18 Team Coach
Ali Simmons
US Owner & Head Coach
Mike Antoniades
Owner of The Running School
Ollie Sherwin
Social Media & Brand Manager; Coach
Mark Langton
Coach
Scott Chickelday
Striking & Finishing Coach
Ali Mamun
TAP FC Director;
U8-U12 Phase Lead
Frankie Gostelow
Coach
James Helder
Co-Owner of Full Core Football
Timeline
The Academy Player has seen excellent growth as a brand since its establishment in 2017, growing an Instagram following from zero to over 140,000 followers.
2017
The brand The Academy Player is established, with the training ethos developed and crafted. Alongside this, Jack Gostelow launched an U12 side for his brother Charlie.
2018
The Academy Player develops and builds their first training lab, which has its technical training ethos at its core.
2019
The Academy Player registers and forms its own football club, and now launches an additional two teams, meaning there are now three sides playing under its name.
2020
The Academy Player builds its second training lab, and is able to expand its service offering to a much greater pool of clientele.
2021
The grassroots side, TAP FC, onboards a further three grassroots sides and two more coaches. The brand also releases its own online training program which sells worldwide.
2022
One of the grassroots sides of TAP FC reaches the prestigious National Finals for the first time in the club's history.
2023
The Academy Player releases its second online training program edition, following the success of the launch of the first edition in 2021.
2024
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2025
History is still being written, but one of our grassroots sides have already won the Nationals in a monumental success for TAP FC.