Three years ago my two sons, who were 5 and 8 years old at the time, asked me where they could learn to play football. They didn't want to become professional football players. They just wanted to learn how to kick, pass and manoeuvre, so they could compete on equal footing with other kids in the yard.

When I started looking for a school to send my kids to, I was befuddled by what I found out. Apparently, all youth sports schools in Moscow and beyond, from neighbourhood clubs to professional football schools (Spartak, CSCA, Dynamo, and others), practiced the same approach to training: they take children aged 7 to 9, expose them to maximum physical stress and psychological pressure 3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week, and see who endures.

Only the toughest kids will stick with it until the age of 14-16. These are the kids who didn't break and have the potential to make it big-time. Those who cannot take it, who get injured or otherwise fail, quit of their own accord.

#tagsport Football Academy is the only school in Moscow where professional coaches will work with any kids irrespective of their ability, skills, their physical or psychological peculiarities. We believe that football training should be available to all, while achievements and rewards are individual.

We currently have upwards of 400 kids aged 2 to 14 in training. We have 26 coaches. In addition to the amateur groups, we have two advanced training groups for the ages 7-9 and 10-12. They go to live-in training camp, they play tournaments and they win.

Moreover, #tagsport is the only school in Russia that will teach football for kids with special physical or psychological needs. We try, as much as we can, to include children with special needs in the general groups.