From Injured & Stuck in the Academy to First-Team Football: Reuben Gillespie
Recently, I received a message from one of our longest-standing Total Footballer clients, Reuben.
A few days later, another message came through: he had made his first start in the First Division of Ireland.
This was a player who joined us in December 2024 while playing for the U17s at Sligo Rovers. At the time, several issues were holding him back:
- Reoccurring ankle sprains that made him miss matches
- Hip problems that made running painful.
- Nagging knee issues that always came back.
Now, less than two years later, he has made his first-team debut and earned his first start in the Irish Premier League.
That transformation did not come from:
- Just “working harder”
- Hoping for the best
- Getting “stronger” in the gym
💠 Reuben became Entangled.
How did we do it?
- He fixed his sleep timing: Getting to bed early and seeing the morning sunrise to support melatonin production.
- He blocked artificial blue and green light at night: Allowing melatonin to be released naturally for deeper sleep.
- He ate real, local, in-season, animal-based food to nourish his body and support the neurotransmitters needed for sharper cognitive function.
- He grounded every morning and swam in natural bodies of water to charge his mitochondria and produce more energy.
- And we reengineered his athleticism with Fascial Integration Training - see below.
Phase 1: The Root Protocol
Reuben’s previous injuries were not isolated problems. His feet were failing to provide the structure, sensory input and force transfer his body needed.
It’s like having old worn down tires on your car.
In Phase 1, we began remodeling his feet.
- We trained toe retraction so his glutes could begin working again.
- We expanded the ball of the foot to create a stronger contact point with the ground.
- We stimulated the nerves in his feet so his fascia could begin integrating as a connected system.
As his feet changed, so did the rest of his body.
His previous injuries began clearing up, and he was finally able to perform consistently, week after week, for the academy team.
Phase 2: Fascial Loading
Once the feet were remodeled, it was time to build ankle stiffness and change how his body absorbed force.
This involved:
- Strengthening the extensor tendons so his feet could handle greater forces.
- Pressurizing the sole of the foot so the plantar fascia could maintain its structure during high-force movements.
- Building prominence in the anterior tibialis tendon so the ankle could stabilize more effectively.
The result was visible on the pitch.
Reuben began flying across the ground with better landing mechanics and feet that supported his speed instead of slowing him down, as they do for most footballers.
Just the Beginning
Reuben did not simply push through the pain, take medication, and rely on his youth to survive.
He worked with us to tap into his natural design and take back his birthright: effortless athleticism.
And this allowed him to earn his position in the starting eleven in the Irish Premier League.
From here, the sky’s the limit.
He still has enormous potential to unlock through Phases 3, 4 and 5, and we are excited to see where his development takes him from here.
Congratulations Reuben!
