01
Find
Targets are identified through public information: club profiles, signing announcements, social media, gaming communities, local media and household visibility.
Youth Player Security Programme
Youth Player Security Programme
Protecting the next generation of professional athletes.
Young players can become visible before they understand the risks that come with that visibility. BluSkills helps academy players, parents and clubs build security awareness before it is needed in a crisis.
The risk landscape
Visibility creates opportunity.
Criminal networks that target footballers follow a simple principle: the more visible and predictable a person becomes, the easier they are to identify, monitor and exploit. The patterns of targeting do not begin only at Premier League level. They can begin as soon as a young player has a public profile.
82%
Surge in online grooming crimes targeting young people since 2017.
24%
Of young people share their real name or location online.
3×
Higher burglary risk for affluent households versus the national average.
50%
Of academy players leave before 16, often already with a public profile.
Understanding the process
Targeting usually follows a process. That means it can be disrupted.
02
Fix
Routines are confirmed through observation, fixture schedules, live posts, predictable routes and repeated patterns of behaviour.
03
Finish
The final act happens when the opportunity appears clear. Awareness, reporting, reduced visibility and unpredictability help interrupt the process before this point.
Security awareness is not about fear. It is about giving young players the knowledge, language and habits to stay ahead of avoidable risk.
Habits that protect you for life
Simple habits, formed early, can reduce exposure throughout a player’s career.
01
Manage your digital footprint
Understand account security, privacy settings, what to post, what not to post and when to pause before sharing.
02
Develop situational awareness
Learn what criminals look for, how attention develops and how to recognise behaviour that feels unusual.
03
Build unpredictability
Understand how predictable routines can create vulnerability and how small changes can reduce exposure.
04
Know who to go to
Know how and when to report concerns to a trusted adult, coach, parent, guardian or safeguarding officer.
05
Understand security culture
Learn how personal habits, family awareness, systems and professional support work together as a player’s profile grows.
For parents & guardians
Security knowledge is easier to build early than retrofit later.
Young players are increasingly visible through signing announcements, social media, gaming communities, training ground routines and local attention. BluSkills helps families understand that exposure in a calm, age-appropriate and safeguarding-aligned way.
The aim is not to make young people anxious. The aim is to give them practical language, confidence and habits so they know what feels wrong, what to avoid and who to speak to.
Programme overview
The BluSkills Youth Player Programme
Format
60–90 minute facilitated sessions at the academy or club facility.
Audience
Players aged 12–16. Parent and guardian briefings available separately.
Content
Digital hygiene, situational awareness, routine unpredictability, reporting and basic security culture.
Safeguarding
Sessions can be coordinated with the academy safeguarding officer and aligned to the club environment.
Next step
Start with a confidential conversation.
A short initial discussion is the simplest way to understand how the programme could support your academy, players, parents or safeguarding team.