DUAL DREAM INSPIRING A BIGGER VISION   

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ABOUT DUAL DREAM

Statistics show that the number of academy players moving into pro football is small... and that pro careers are short for those who 'make it'...

...but, every young footballer has huge potential in life...

DUAL DREAM BOOK

Many academy footballers in South Africa (and globally) appear to be on track to becoming professional footballers. However, very few of these players actually go on to have a sustained professional career, leading to disappointment and confusion for players, parents, and those who have invested in them. But even for those who ‘make it’, many are left ill-prepared for life outside of football.

Through statistics, logical reasoning and case studies, this book identifies the key reasons why the vast majority of South African academy players do not go on to have sustained professional careers, investigates many misconceptions about the opportunities that exist, and highlights some really dangerous pitfalls to avoid.Part One and Two of this book encourages a more wide-angled view on life and football. “I want to be a professional footballer” sounds very aspirational, but if the average person has a 45-year working life, even those who go on to have a successful professional career will, at best, only spend a third of their working life earning from playing, typically with minimal savings. So what about the rest of life?

Part Three and Four encourage an alternative approach - a ‘dual-dream’ - that continues to encourage players to pursue football to the highest level, whilst also pursuing other dreams in life. Academics, character development, scholarship opportunities and alternative career planning from a young age are all highlighted to bring a fresh perspective of hope to players, parents and those involved in the development of the beautiful game in this country. 

DUAL DREAM SERVICES

Ubuntu Football Academy
Classroom teaching and Workshops

Each Year, Ubuntu Football Academy players receive Dual Dream teaching at the school as part of the 'Future Ready' program, helping prepare every player for life outside of football.

Windhoek, Namibia
Dual Dream Coach Education & Consultation 

Dave Waters was invited to lead a four-day coach education course at Football Athletic Football Academy in July 2024. Coaches received the Dual Dream coach education training in the classroom, demonstration sessions on the field, along with practical assessments on day 4. The visit also incorporated an extensive consultation process and report. 

World Football Summit Durban
Nature vs Nurture

In November 2022 at the Durban ICC, Dave Waters led a discussion on 'Nature vs Nurture: Analysing the success of African players in club football and its fruit for the continent.

Dual Dream is more than a book.  The book is a catalyst to help promote a wider dialogue around many issues interconnected with football and long-term player welfare.  

Dual Dream Teaching Material

Professional clubs, academies and football associations have enthusiastically engaged with the Dual Dream material to help challenge, shape and re-think traditional ways of looking at the game. 

Dual Dream Speaking

Dual Dream is passionate in sharing bi-spoke messages to a range of audiences - helping audiences look at talent and investment into that talent through different lenses.

Dual Dream Coach Education

Coaches naturally have a huge impact on who players are becoming.  The Dual Dream Coach Education courses utilise the 3-Dimensional Coaching Model (Body, Mind, Heart) to sharpen coaches in their coaching methods, whilst also helping each coach grasp more clearly 'why' they coach. 

Dual Dream Consultation

Dual Dream provides a formal consultation service for clubs and academies.  During the process, a systematic review is conducted, looking into areas such as 'culture', 'systems and structures' and 'long-term development goals'. 

Special Report: The lost boys of football
"A UK Case Study...a global problem"

In Premier League academies there are around 3,500 boys - but of those entering academies at the age of nine, fewer than 0.5% will ever make a living from the game. So what happens to those who don’t make it? And does football adequately prepare them for life and alternative careers?

DUAL DREAM VIDEOS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Premier League academies: Trent Alexander-Arnold - 'I was the lucky one'
BBC Football Focus

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold tells Football Focus presenter and ex-pro Liam MacDevitt about the sacrifices he had to make to get into football, the different pressures he faces at the top of the game and why he's set up 'The After Academy' for those players who didn't make the grade.careers?

DUAL DREAM AUTHOR

Dave Waters is founder and author of Dual Dream.  He moved to South Africa from England in 2006. Dave is Married to Siyoli, with two daughters, Unathi and Milani.

Dave has 20 years football coaching experience around the world, holding a UEFA B coaching licence.  He has focused on elite development in Cape Town since 2011 with ASD Cape Town - taking on various Head Coach roles at U17, U19 & ABC Motsepe levels, whilst taking on the Technical Director role in 2014.

Dave joined Ubuntu Football in 2015, where he became Director of the Junior Phase, overseeing junior player recruitment and the U12/u14 phases, whilst continuing to develop 'Ubuntu's Character Curriculum'.

Whilst having a huge passion for seeing young footballers fulfilled their potential on and off the field, Dave is also a passionate public speaker and coach educator. He thrives on engaging and interacting with a variety of audiences and contexts, 

  CONTACT

dave@dualdream.org

+27 (0) 823463243