The Lowdown12 Sep 2025

#174 - Put the Child First w/ Peter Sturgess

Peter Sturgess has been at the heart of reshaping English football’s approach to youth development. From designing the FA Youth Modules and creating the Play Phase for 4–6 year olds, to working alongside Dan Ashworth in building the England DNA, his influence has touched every corner of the game. Beyond the frameworks, Peter has also been a coach educator, researcher, and futsal advocate — all with one guiding principle: putting the child first.

In this episode, Peter shares his journey, his philosophies on skill acquisition and learning, and why even now he still sees himself as unfinished and excited about what’s next.

Listen to find out more including;

- How the FA Youth Modules and Play Phase transformed early player development?

- The story behind embedding the England DNA under Dan Ashworth.

- Why futsal accelerates creativity and adaptability in ways other formats can’t?

- Are players being pushed into academies too early — and what’s at stake?

- Coaching the coach educators and applying research in teaching and learning.

- Why putting the child first remains the cornerstone of development in the 21st century?

00:00 - 07:02 - Intro

07:03 - 13:16 - Coaching the Coach

13:17 - 19:06- FA

19:07 - 26:16 - Child First

26:22 - 37:43 - Futsal

37:44 - 44:24 - The joy of learning

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

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