Mindful Football · ADHD Coaching Series
Calm, confident coaching for kids with ADHD.
The words we wish we'd had on the touchline. Ten short scripts for the moments that go sideways at training and on match day.
The toolkit
What to Say When: 10 Scripts for ADHD Moments
14-page PDF · £4 · Instant download
About the coach
Meet the coach
I'm Leigh, a grassroots football coach and the author of Mindful Football, a book on meditation and visualisation for young footballers, available on Amazon. Sport has been part of my life since I was a kid. I trained in judo to a high level and played grassroots football every chance I got.
I've coached grassroots kids for more than a decade. Back in 2015 I built one of the first girls' teams in Grantham from scratch. I've coached futsal with very young players, and I coached my son's team all the way from under-6s to under-12s.
I was diagnosed with ADHD in my 40s. It explained a lot, and it changed how I see the kids in front of me. Alongside 20+ years in the corporate world, in commercial management, partnerships and service delivery, I'm completing a Level 5 Coaching Professional qualification and have spoken on the Coaches Union podcast about coaching players with ADHD.
I meditate every day, and Mindful Football brings it all together: practical, ADHD-aware coaching and a calmer mind, so every player feels they belong.
01 — Sound familiar?
It's not defiance.
A missed sitter and the tears start. A drill explained twice and they're still off doing their own thing. Messing about in the queue while everyone waits. It's not defiance — it's a brain that works differently, and a few calm words make a real difference.
Script 1 of 10 — Meltdown after losing or missing a chance
Calm is your superpower.
Not bad. Not disruptive. Just wired differently.
“I can see that really matters to you.”
“Breathe with me. In… and out.”
“You're not in trouble. Take a minute with me.”
“When you're ready, we go again.”
Why it works: in the middle of a meltdown the thinking part of the brain is overloaded. A calm adult, few words and naming the feeling helps a child settle faster.
02 — The toolkit
What to Say When: 10 Scripts for ADHD Moments
14-page PDF · £4 · Instant download
- 01
10 ready-to-use scripts
Each with what to say, what to avoid and why it works.
- 02
An ADHD brain page
A one-page guide to how the ADHD brain works: why focus, emotions and instructions can feel harder, and how calm, clear words help.
- 03
A cut-out touchline card
The key lines, sized for your kit bag.
03 — Who it's for
- Players — feel understood, not told off.
- Coaches — the right words in the moment.
- Parents — be an advocate for your child with ADHD: back your child and their coach from the touchline.
04 — Coaching
ADHD-aware coaching support for grassroots coaches and parents.
We'll talk through what's happening with your player or team and work out what to try next.
Enquire about coachingEnquire
Tell us what's going on.
05 — FAQ
