What to put in a player development record

A player development record, often shortened to PDR, is a running account of how a young player is developing. It is not a report card. Its job is to answer three questions for whoever picks it up next: where is this player now, how did they get here, and what are we working on.

Kept well, it means a new coach can pick up a squad in September without guessing, a parent can see progress beyond the result on Saturday, and a player who moves club does not lose years of work.

• Assessments across the four corners (technical and tactical, physical, psychological, social), on the same scale each time, with a line of evidence.
• Growth: height and weight a few times a year, so physical scores can be read alongside maturity.
• A short development plan with one to three goals, each tied to a corner and a review date.
• Milestones worth remembering: a first start, a new position, a setback they worked through.
• Attendance and playing time, which explain a lot about progress that scores alone do not.
• How the player is feeling, through occasional simple check-ins, so a dip in confidence is noticed early.

A good test is whether you would be comfortable reading the entry aloud to the player and their family. If not, it probably does not belong.

• Opinions about the family, or anything you would not say to their face.
• Medical detail beyond what coaches need to keep the player safe. Injuries and return dates, yes. Full medical history, no.
• Comparisons that rank one child against another by name.
• Anything kept “just in case”. Data protection law expects you to hold what you need, not everything you can.

A full review every six to eight weeks, or once a term, suits most academies. In between, short notes after sessions and matches keep the record honest without becoming a chore. The rhythm matters more than the exact gap: a record updated regularly shows a line of progress, while one written twice a year is two snapshots.

The coaches working with the player, and the player’s parents or guardians. Older players benefit from seeing their own goals too. Beyond that, keep access tight: a coach of a different age group usually has no need to read it.

The club remains responsible for the record under data protection law, whatever system it lives in. Your county FA welfare officer and the ICO’s guidance for organisations are good places to check your approach.

This is where most records fail. A player moves club and their history stays in a folder or a spreadsheet at the old one, so the new coach starts from nothing.

The child’s development history is about them, so it is reasonable for it to follow them. The family should decide whether it does: the new club asks, the family agrees, and the record goes with the player. If the family says no, it stays where it is.

If you are starting from a blank page, this outline covers the essentials.

• Player: name, date of birth, position, squad, and the date they joined.
• Growth: date, height, weight. Add a row a few times a year.
• Review: date, coach, then each corner with a score, one line of evidence, and one thing to work on.
• Plan: up to three goals, each with its corner, what success looks like, and when you will review it.
• Notes: short dated entries for milestones and anything else worth remembering.