Former AFC Wimbledon Academy graduate Ben Mason signed for the south-west London club at 10 years old and progressed through the age groups to eventually earn his two-year scholarship in 2020. “It was obviously amazing to earn my scholarship after years of working towards it,” Mason told LFE. “I really enjoyed my time as an apprentice, despite the difficulties that came with it due to it being during Covid. There were restrictions for probably 18 months of my time as an apprentice, which was hard, but I also think it helped in a way, as we had to go through a lot of adversity and tackle new experiences.”
Despite the uncertainty and lack of stability that came with his Covid-19-affected time on programme, Mason credits his LFE Academy Education Manager, Tom Palmer, insisting that his support was always present. “He’s a really nice and open guy; someone we could always speak to about anything we needed. I’ve spoken to him a few times since leaving the club as well, so it’s a credit to him that he shows an interest in how we’re still getting on.
“I think the support from the likes of LFE and the PFA always felt – and still does feel – like a safety net. Whatever’s going on, they’ll be there for you. That’s a really great thing.”
Following the completion of his apprenticeship, Mason signed a professional contract – an undeniably proud moment for the full-back, yet a transition he admits was a struggle. “It was definitely challenging moving into the first team changing-room environment. You have to put yourself out there. On the pitch, I was always a leader and an extrovert, but it took me a long time to be like that off the pitch with the first team.”
“On top of that, I never really felt like the opportunities were there within the first-team picture, which is how football plays out sometimes. A new manager had come in and was just looking to keep the club up, really, so it never felt like any of us young lads were going to get a chance. It’s an element of the industry, but it was very frustrating.”
After two years as a professional with the Dons, Mason left the club along with some of his teammates who he had progressed through the ranks with. He speaks candidly about the need for more support for players exiting the professional game. “I’m fortunate, as I still play at a decent level of non-league football and I really stuck at it, but six months after a group of us left Wimbledon, three of them aren’t playing at all anymore. How can that be? They’ve worked their whole lives to try and live out the dream of being a professional footballer. Yes, they’ve had a setback, but they haven’t turned into bad players overnight and would, without a doubt, be an asset to a lot of clubs.
“I think this is where getting young players involved with things outside of the game from a young age really helps. It’s definitely becoming more prevalent now – players exploring other interests away from football – but I think if there was a huge push for apprentices and young professionals to get involved with side hustles, so to speak, from a young age, it would provide a real safety net for them when they endure setbacks on the pitch. Having something on the side that they enjoy and that perhaps makes them a bit of money would alleviate some of the pressure when they find themselves without a club, for example. It would allow them to still carry on pursuing their dream.
“I actually have a few ideas myself, one being a kind of side-hustle programme they could do as apprentices – getting young players to focus on creating a small business idea alongside football that could help them in the future. I think it would really benefit their on-the-pitch performance too, as it would provide a mental break and a distraction from the pressures of football.”
Mason’s passion for helping young players is evident not only through his words, but through his actions as well. Since leaving the professional game, he has launched his own platform, Achieve 360, which he runs alongside his non-league football commitments. Through this venture, he provides mentorship to aspiring footballers, helping them deal with the everyday pressures of the football world while offering personalised programmes designed to help them become the best version of themselves, both on and off the pitch. “I want to be that mentor that I needed when I was younger. The mission is to teach players how to live, think, and play like a pro from a young age. I strongly believe that 90% of high performance is mindset. I want to help players with everything – from their recovery, to sleep, daily habits, routines… everything. All of the so-called ‘one percent’s’.
“Mentality is huge and, a lot of the time, separates those who make it from those who don’t. You can spend hours and hours in the gym and on the training pitch, but you can go into a game and two minutes in miss a penalty or give one away, and for the rest of the game you can be gone. Finished mentally. I try to help people deal with the psychological pressures of the game – whether it’s fear of judgement, dealing with pressure and expectation, everything. In a nutshell, I just want to have a positive impact on young footballers’ lives and careers.”
The former Dons defender’s journey with Achieve 360 has only just begun, but he can already see the positive effect it’s having not only on those he works with, but on himself too. “It’s massively helped me. It keeps me accountable, for starters. People can see right through you, and if you’re telling someone to do something or act in a particular way and you’re not doing it yourself, it’s not right and they’ll catch onto it. I’m also learning constantly from them, so it really is a two-way thing, and it’s all been a really positive experience so far. I’m loving it.”