About EBBS
Calm confidence for soccer parents
EBBS helps parents support their child's soccer at home, in short, calm sessions, without becoming the coach.
Most parents want their child to enjoy the game and grow in confidence. Many just aren't sure what actually matters, or worry about saying the wrong thing. EBBS keeps it simple: a ball, a wall, and a few calm minutes, repeated over time.
It started with five calm minutes and a wall.
One of my daughters went through a stretch where nothing in games seemed to come off. One game she blasted a penalty high over the bar. My instinct was to explain and correct. Instead, we spent a few minutes after practice just striking a ball against a wall. No drills. No pressure.
Weeks later she scored twice in two minutes, and turned to me with the biggest smile.
The breakthrough hadn't started in that game. It started at the wall.
Not pressure. Not overcoaching. Not turning soccer into work. Just repetition, confidence, and a child slowly starting to believe: I can do this.
That idea became the foundation of EBBS.
What I've noticed
I've coached junior soccer for 15 years, with children aged 4 to 15, and spent much of my life around the game. One thing stands out more than anything else.
The children who thrive over the long term aren't always the ones under the most pressure. Very often, they're the ones who feel supported, feel safe to make mistakes, and keep collecting small wins.
Most parents aren't creating pressure on purpose. They care deeply, and nobody has shown them a clearer role. Helping doesn't mean coaching harder. For young players, confidence often grows faster when pressure drops.
What EBBS believes
- You don't need to coach. Your child already has coaches. What they need from you is calm, warmth, and someone on their side.
- Small wins build confidence. A few minutes done consistently matters more than a perfect session.
- Simple beats complicated. One ball, one wall, and no soccer knowledge needed.
- The relationship comes first. It matters more than technique, results or rankings.
- A child who wants to play again tomorrow is winning.
Ian Ebbs
Founder of EBBS and FootballBoots.co.uk. 15 years coaching junior soccer, with children aged 4 to 15. A soccer parent to a son and daughters.
Author of The 15-Minute Soccer Parent, the ideas behind EBBS in a short, practical book for parents.
Find it on Amazon
Start with one free mini session
It takes about 15 minutes, needs one ball and one wall, and no soccer knowledge at all.