Scouting and Its Significance in Sports - Part 2

The most essential aspect of Scouting is to contribute to the education of young people, through
a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law - to help build a better world where people
are self-fulfilled individuals and play a constructive role in society. This is achieved by involving
them in a non-formal educational process throughout their formative years, using a specific
method that makes each individual become a self-reliant, responsible, and committed person.

To help our athletes understand the influence of Scouting in sports, we recently conducted a
webinar on Scouting, as part of our Online Education Programme. The session, carried out by
Steve Charles, Head of Scouting, Reliance Foundation Young Champs, focused on the aspects
of scouting that were important in finding talent. It also explained the role which scouts play in
observing and analysing a chosen candidate’s progress over a period of time to evaluate
whether he/she has turned into a consistent performer or not.

Steve explained the factors that are considered while scouting, where usually the sought-after
talent:
- Can attack, defend, and make transitions
- Is top-level when it comes to mental and physical abilities
- Is tactically sound
- Lives the life on and off the pitch

He then detailed out the technical, tactical, physical, and mental attributes which scouts look for
in a candidate and they include -

For technical:
- Passing
- Shooting
- Dribbling
- Receiving

For tactical:
- Footballing intelligence
- Skills of a candidate with and without the ball
For physical:
- Speed
- Agility
- Strength
- Height

For mental:
- Commitment
- Communication
- Control
- Confidence
- Concentration

Steve then went on to answer some of the most commonly asked questions by a candidate
when it comes to the implementation of the above-mentioned qualities and they are as:

- How does this look when I play in a team?
- How can I analyse myself on the above-mentioned abilities?
- I have never trained under a coach or a professional set up, so how will it affect me?
- Have never got feedback from a coach about my performance or my qualities.

He explained these points in detail so as to clear out any doubts which a candidate might have
in their minds.

Steve also shed light on the concept of ‘pitch within the pitch’ when it comes to football and what
exactly does that mean and why is it important to know about it for a potential candidate.

He also explained the various activities which a player performs on a football field and how it
influences the overall gameplan and results when it comes to the actual match.
He concluded the webinar by stating that when it comes to scouting, a candidate should always
ask certain questions to themselves and they include:

- Where do I stand?
- Am I living the life on and off the pitch?
- Do I possess the necessary technical and tactical skills?

He advised candidates that they should also develop a mindset that helps them to get better in
their skills and abilities by each passing day. He emphasized that sports are not a ‘one-day-only’
event, so they should keep striving for the best. Even if you don’t make it in one go, there is
always a chance in the future - you never know when you can get scouted.

In case of queries or if you have any suggestions for webinar topics, please feel free to connect
with us on Instagram/Facebook or email us at info@rfyouthsports.com