Ste Carrick

All coaches, take note. Rayan Cherki was filmed by Keepitonthedeck at the St Kevins Academy Cup ten years ago. Back then not once in that entire tournament was he met with shouts of pass the ball. Not once was he taken off for attempting tricks or flicks. No one barked at him to run aimlessly. What we saw was a young player given true freedom. At twelve years of age, playing against thirteen year olds, his ability was not just impressive, it was joyful to watch. It made people smile and at times even laugh at how effortlessly he played. Comfortable on both feet at that age as well. What stood out most was not just his skill, but the environment around him. He was allowed to express himself and grow, without being restricted by a coach or confined by a system. We even witnessed him lead and take entire team warm ups, given ownership of a team with players older than him. Coaches are there to help talent, not destroy them. Both types of coaches exist, so careful which ones you play under! As Cherki said himself, “If we don't play with pleasure, you can't play better, you can't show what you want.”