Most popular
Weekday Academy
$150 / 10-week term + $50 annual registration
Friday small-group futsal & soccer skills. Groups capped at 14.
Details & book
Toowoomba & the Darling Downs
Futsal & soccer training,
Futsal & soccer training,
done properly.
Friday small-group skills training for kids 5–12 — accredited coaching, groups capped at 14, and real progression from first touch to match play. No waiting in the rain, no lost kids in a crowd.
- Fridays
- Highfields Rec
- Ages 5–12
- Indoor, all weather
- New groups every term
0
kids in training every Friday
0
teams coached · 8 regular coaches
0
years of regional & national coaching
14
max group size — every session
Who we are
One coach. A lot of hours. A proper pathway.
Downs Academy runs the futsal and soccer sessions of Shaun McCulloch — a Toowoomba coach who has coached at regional and national level every year since 2020, including the FA national futsal tournament.
Every session is small (capped at 14), structured (warm-up to match play, every time), and led by a coach who holds current FA futsal and AFA qualifications. Kids here don’t just kick a ball around — they get feedback, they track their progress, and they move up.
- Warm-up & conditioning, every session
- Technical drills with real ball time
- Small-sided games & match play
- Groups capped at 14 — every kid gets coached
- Trained adult supervision on site
- Indoor venue — rain never cancels a session
SM
Portrait coming — his teams are in the gallery below
Meet your coach
Shaun McCulloch
A Toowoomba coach at regional and national level every year since 2020 — including FA national futsal tournament coaching. Every session at the academy is led by a coach who holds current FA futsal and AFA qualifications, and who has run 9 teams with 8 regular coaches.
- FA Futsal Level 1 (AFC)
- AFA Certificates 1 & 2
- National tournament coaching
- Coaching every year since 2020
- 9 teams · 8 regular coaches
Results
What this program has already produced
2026
Junior Regional Futsal Titles
Our 13 Girls finished runners-up at the Northern Regional Futsal Titles — medals in hand, and a standard the rest of the program builds toward.
Read the match report- 2020 → now Coaching at regional and national level, every single year
- FA national Coaching at an FA national futsal tournament
- Day to day 9 teams, 8 regular coaches — the same faces, week after week
- Every Friday 28 kids in training, groups capped at 14 so nobody is a spectator
Programs
Three ways in. Start anywhere.
Try a casual session, commit to a term, or hit a holiday camp — the progression carries across all three.
School holidays
School-Holiday Camps
$65 / day
Full-day holiday camps — skills, matches and games.
Details & book
How it works
From first touch to term training in three steps
01
Watch a session first
Drop by a Friday session and watch from the side — see the structure, the group size and the coaching up close, before anyone spends a cent.
02
Book & register
One short form: your child’s details, an emergency contact, medical notes. Pay by card online or on the day. No contracts to hunt down.
03
Train & progress
Weeks of small-group skills work, match play and honest feedback. Kids move up as they grow — and you see it happen, session by session.
A Friday, step by step
What your child actually does
Parents welcome to watch from the side — the structure, the group size and the coaching are on show the whole time.
-
1
Kick-off & warm-up
Arrive, water in hand. Dynamic warm-up gets legs moving before the ball comes out.
-
2
Skills drills
Cones, gates and lots of touches — control, passing and first-touch work, properly coached.
-
3
Small-sided games
3v3 and 4v4 in the middle — the decisions start mattering, and the laughs are guaranteed.
-
4
Match play & feedback
Full game to finish, then a few words to each kid about what worked — and what to run next week.
Where we train
Highfields Recreation Centre
Fully indoor, purpose-built courts in Highfields — close to the school run, with parking on site.
Because it’s under a roof, Queensland weather is a non-event: no cancellations, no soaked socks, no waiting out a storm. Courts are set up for small-group work, with space for drills, gates and match play.
What to bring: water, indoor footwear (flat-soled trainers or futsal boots), and a change. We provide the balls, cones and bibs.
Get directions Sean McCarthy Way, Highfields QLD 4352
Credentials & safety
The receipts, not the claims
“In progress” items are being finalised now — we’d rather show you the honest status than pretend it’s done.
Working with Children Check
Queensland Blue Card for all child-facing staff, renewed on schedule.
In progressFA Futsal Level 1 (AFC)
Football Australia futsal coaching qualification, CPD-revalidated.
ActiveAFA Certificates 1 & 2
Coaching certificates with national tournament experience.
ActiveFirst Aid on site
First-aid certification being renewed — trained adult supervision at every session.
In progressPublic Liability Cover
$10M public liability policy being finalised for all sessions.
In progressA face you’ll see every week
A standing pool of trained, card-checked coaches — you’ll know every adult on the court by name.
Active
Inside our sessions
The academy, in pictures
Common questions
Before you book, the questions parents actually ask
What age group do you run for?
Our programs are built for 5–12 year olds, grouped so kids train with peers of similar ability and size. First time? A casual session is the best way to see how your child fits in.
What does my child need to bring?
Water, indoor footwear (flat-soled trainers or futsal boots — no outdoor studs on the court), and a change of clothes. We provide all balls, bibs and cones.
What happens if it rains?
Nothing — we train under a roof at Highfields Rec. Weather is the reason most academies cancel on Fridays; ours simply continue.
How big are the groups?
Capped at 14, always. That’s the number where a coach can still give every kid real touches and real feedback, rather than shouting across a crowd.
Can I watch a session before booking?
Please do — it’s what we want. Drop by a Friday session and watch from the side, or email us at admin@downsacademy.com.au to arrange it.
How does payment work?
Card online when you book, or card or cash on the day — a card reader is on site at the door. Annual registration is $50 once per family per calendar year; the Weekday Academy is $150 per term.
What’s the refund policy?
Full refund up to 7 days before your first session, 50% up to 3 days before, and after that your spot can transfer to a sibling or the next program. If we cancel, you choose full refund or credit. Full detail on our refunds page.
Ready to kick off?
Next Friday, the courts are set, the bibs are out, and there’s a spot with your name on it.