"How quickly can my child improve before a trial?"

This is probably one of the most common questions parents ask me, especially when a trial, showcase, or big selection date is coming up.

And I get why. You want to know that the work your child puts in will actually make a meaningful difference in time.

The good news is this:

Players can make very noticeable improvements far quicker than most parents expect.

Let me walk you through what actually changes, how long it takes, and what’s realistic before a trial.

1. The first improvements come fast, usually within 2 to 3 weeks

Most people think improvements come from building more muscle, but that’s not how it works in the early stages.

The biggest early wins come from the nervous system getting more efficient.

This means your child quickly becomes better at:

- Recruiting the right muscles at the right time

- Moving with better control

- Producing force faster

- Coordinating movements more smoothly

- Reacting quicker

These changes happen before you see any physical changes in muscle size.

That’s why players often look sharper, quicker, more balanced, and more controlled after just a few weeks of structured work.

Parents message me all the time saying things like:

“He looks sharper already”

“She’s holding her ground better”

“He just seems more confident”

These early wins matter, and they show up fast.

2. Meaningful physical improvements happen within 4 to 6 weeks

This is where you start seeing clearer changes like:

- Faster first steps

- Quicker turning

- Better acceleration

- Stronger shielding

- Better posture on the ball

- Improved stamina

- Fewer mistakes under pressure

And the best part, all of these improvements are visibly clear in match performance.

The body adapts quickly when the training is consistent and football specific.

3. The biggest jumps happen around the 8 to 12 week mark

As an example, the 12 week mark is when I recommend players do their first retesting on our Elite Football Athlete programme.

This allows enough time for the improvements to show up clearly in factual data.

The average improvement we see is:

- 10m sprint: 11.8 percent faster

- Flying 30m sprint: 7.5 percent faster

- T test agility: 13.1 percent improvement

- 505 style agility turn test: 10.2 percent improvement

- YoYo IRL1 stamina: 38.8 percent improvement

- Broad jump: 14.8 percent improvement

- Max press ups: 47.7 percent improvement

- Wall sit time: 48 percent improvement

- Plank hold: 40.3 percent improvement

These aren’t just small tweaks.

These are trial changing improvements.

And remember, these players trained from home, a local park, or a simple gym setup, using the same system your child can follow.

These physical improvements show up directly in trials as sharper movement, faster reactions, stronger in duels, more presence, better stamina and more confidence.

This is exactly the kind of stuff coaches notice.

4. Even before the trial, confidence is often the biggest shift

When a young player feels fitter, stronger, and more prepared, they naturally:

- Play with more freedom

- Stop hesitating

- Recover quicker after mistakes

- Feel less intimidated

- Show more energy and intensity

- Take more responsibility on the pitch

So even before the physical improvements peak, players often look better because they feel better.

That confidence boost alone can completely change how they perform during a trial.

5. So what’s realistic before a trial?

Here’s the truth, based on working with thousands of players:

In 2 to 3 weeks, they can look sharper and more confident.

In 4 to 6 weeks, they can feel noticeably stronger, faster, and more stable.

In 8 to 12 weeks, they can make real, measurable improvements that completely change how they come across in a trial.

And here’s the important bit...

There is no bad time to start.

Even 2 weeks of better movement and confidence can make a big difference.

But the earlier they start, the more momentum they build.

6. What should your child focus on right now?

If a trial is coming up, the highest impact areas are: acceleration, deceleration, turning sharpness, first step quickness, core stability, single leg strength, stamina and recovery, movement control and balance.

These are the qualities scouts and coaches notice most.

And they can improve fast.

The bottom line is this...

Your child doesn’t need a year to make real progress.

With the right training, good consistency, and proper recovery, trial changing improvements can happen surprisingly quickly.

And once they feel their body catching up with their ability, the confidence and belief that comes with it is often the biggest difference of all.

James

Matchfit Football

P.S. When you're ready, here's 3 ways I can help:

1. The Elite Football Athlete Programme

If you want your child to make noticeable improvements before their upcoming trial, the Elite Football Athlete Programme can help deliver exactly that.

2. Youth Footballer Recipe Book

Removes all the guesswork surrounding what to feed a youth footballer for both football performance and general health.

3. PHYSICAL Copy of The Football Fitness Bible book

If you haven't grabbed the paperback or hardback copy of the book yet, you can get it on Amazon by clicking the link above.