Former A-League champion Casey running junior football clinics with a twist

The former A-League champion's professional career came to a close when he retired from the game in 2014 after a number of injuries, which in turn had a negative impact on his love for the game.

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But after time away from the sport, Casey rediscovered his love with thanks in part to his wife Kylie. And that's why the pair have started the Adam Casey Football Academy, aiming to develop the next rising stars, right here in the Illawarra.

The Academy runs both individual and group training sessions, aimed at teaching kids the basics of football, but not only that, the pair aim to provide a holistic approach to football development.

Casey is well versed in coaching following the completion of his elite playing career. Still kicking around with South Coast United in the Illawarra Premier League, the former Olyroos and Wolves player has spent the last three years coaching in Football Australia, Sydney FC, and South Coast Flame academies.

Currently in the midst of his B Diploma in coaching, Casey said he and his wife Kylie had a grand vision for their Academy.

"We thought of this idea because my career was up and down in terms of injuries and I would get to certain heights, fall into some sort of injury and then fall into depression and all that stuff that goes along with being a professional athlete that people don't really see," he said.

"So we're doing a holistic approach where we work on their technical skills, athletic ability, but also their brains, because 90 per cent of the game is mental. It's all about dealing with the pressure of if you get injured or not getting selected for teams. It's about dealing with the mental blocks in the game and trying to overcome them.

"As a kid, my full focus was on football. I went at it with everything I had to get to a certain level. But I didn't know how to deal with all the other setbacks.

"With our Academy, I've got the football background and then my wife Kylie has the background in childcare. So the two of us work together in that sense."

Kylie said her experience of meeting Adam and understanding the endless battles that her now husband went through as a professional footballer inspired the two of them to create the business.

"Part of the season why we've really focused on the holistic side is because when I met Adam, I learned just what we went through in his career," she said.

"You see it so often for elite athletes that once it all ends, they wonder now what? So this is where we encourage kids to make sure that they of course focus on the sport, but you also need to maintain your schooling and you need to maintain other aspects of your life too."

Kylie went on to explain how sessions will run in their upcoming July school holiday clinics, which will be open to both boys and girls.

"At the moment we're looking at having between five to 13-year olds," Kylie explained.

"We're going to have structured sessions from around 9am. We'll have a section where the kids get to ask Adam questions about what it was like to be a professional athlete and how we dealt with things. Then they would break into groups based on age and ability.

"Then from there Adam will take the advanced group, I'd be doing the intermediate, and then someone else would be doing the beginners. But it would be the exact same session that would be held.

"We'd then end up looking at doing a World Cup at the end of the day so the kids can have some fun across the three day clinic."

For more information about when the clinics are and how much they will cost, head to the Adam Casey Football Academy website.