In an exciting fourth episode, Caden Kelly from Sunderland FC and Sean McGurk from Swindon Town FC faced off in the PRO Skills Trainer Challenge. Caden and Sean gave great performances and gave a competitive performance all whilst honing their skills and technique.
Meet the Future Ballers
Caden Kelly
Caden Kelly is a midfielder at Sunderland, previously at Manchester City Academy. Regularly starting in the Under 23’s for Sunderland in the Premier League 2. After Caden’s first appearance in the First Project Future Ballers Test we were expecting big things with his challenge.
Sean McGurk
Sean is a winger at League 2 club Swindon Town FC. Sean began his career at Liverpool and then signing for Wigan Athletic and then moving to Leeds United in 2021 where he regularly started for the youth teams. In February of 2024 at the age of 21 Sean signed for Swindon Town where he now plays regular first team football.
Meet the Coach
Dean established the Bee Inspired Academy in 2021 and has since trained some of the most talented individuals, including members of the Manchester City First team so Dean expects the best from his challengers…
The Challenges
Challenge 1:
The first challenge consisted of passing the ball through the passing gate and then the ball will come back up the return ramp for either Lewis or Rhys to strike the ball into the net.
Strike the ball on target= 1 point
Strike the ball in the bottom corner= 2 points
Strike the ball in the top corner= 5 points
Bullseye= 10 points
If the player scores with a golden ball it will be double points.
Challenge 2:
The second challenge showcased the two players close ball control, they 60 seconds to see how many bounce passes they could make onto the rebound net.
Pro Skills Trainer
All challenges were used with the Pro Skills trainer, this is an all in one training platform that is scientifically validated to improve your footballing skills. Below is what you can expect from the Pro Skills Trainer.
- Strike the ball through the passing gate & control the ball as it travels up the mesh ramp and back to you.
- Alter the angle of return in seconds using unique drag & drop pin system. 7 return settings allow you to improve touch & control using various parts of the body.
- World first ‘decline’ rebounder. Fully extend rebounder to the front & create a downward ball return. This recreates real game bounces to improve decision making.
- Use for multi distance training. Reactionary rebound net adapts ball return speed for rapid, close touches whilst longer passing and control exercises can also be performed
- Premium grade materials. Constructed from laser cut steel and the highest grade mesh available. Brushed coating protects the unit from all weather conditions.
