The primary goal of this program is to develop basic motor skills and gain many touches on the ball. Symbolism plays an important role in nearly every practice activity, helping to establish a fun, nurturing atmosphere for the children. All activities include every player, and the coach takes an active role in each game. Below is brief synopsis to our approach for each age:
- Mommy & Me for 2’s - games that are designed to stimulate creativity which involve children and their parents.
- 3’s - as coaches, we want the players to associate a positive experience with playing soccer. We also want to enforce boundaries, and help players understand and follow simple instructions. Finally, we lay the groundwork by establishing a comfort level with the ball at your feet for all players.
- 4’s - practice games are designed to introduce the basics of dribbling, kicking and some goalkeeping as well. Passing and shooting are rarely incorporated in our curriculum for this age. They are introduced to 4 v 4 "real game" at each practice, to understand the game at its most basic stage. Sportsmanship, field boundaries, and directional play are important building blocks for these young stars.
- 5’s - After practicing once a week as 4 year-olds, the 5 year-olds now play games on Saturdays. Coaches reinforce proper technique when striking the ball, and we introduce passing, shooting, and shielding at this age. We challenge players with new ball control exercises such as using various surfaces of the foot, teaching step-ups, pendulums (tick-tocks), hopovers. Target games, such as knocking down cones and shooting in various goals are very popular. Some players show a greater understanding of the game itself, and showcase their talents during games on Saturdays.
The coaches play an active role in the overall positive experience of these future stars. We allow the players input to help evolve our games into creating the best possible atmosphere in which to learn.
Each age group has a curriculum specifically designed to teach players the skills that are age appropriate.