How Sheffield Wednesday’s stars of tomorrow are coping under lockdown

Football is at a global standstill as the Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause havoc across the world, and while clubs in other parts of Europe have discussed a return to training, there have been no indications as to when Wednesday or their English counterparts will be getting back to work.

With first team players having already spoken about life in lockdown, Jeremy Poulson, Wednesday’s sports scientist, has now offered some insight into what’s happening for the numerous academy players cooped up at home as the wait for football continues.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Poulson said, “We have to make sure the players are rested and in a good shape when training can resume but without a return date, an end goal for the programme is difficult to predict.

“So we try to cover all bases. The current daily routine for the Under 18s and Under-23s involves a wellness questionnaire to perform the daily session plan and then rate how hard the session is perceived to be.

“This is all communicated through a team WhatsApp group. Instead of wearing GPS normally used to track the players, they are now using the Strava app or Apple watches to monitor their work.”

Meanwhile, down the academy chain, they’re still being put through their paces, but things are tailored to make sure that the young Owls hopefuls are getting what they need to continue their progression as they take aim on moving up the ladder.

Poulson added, “The schoolboy programme from the Under-16s down to the Under-9s is delivered three/four times a week and this will keep a strong foundation to see the boys through to the start of May.

“These activities, along with football skills sessions, can be performed at home in their gardens or at the park. Players are provided with videos to assist with how the programmes are performed to help with their learning and development.”