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Let’s play soccer!
If you’re a player or a parent, you’re in the right place! Check here regularly to get the information you need to get the most out of the game you love.
There are many benefits to playing a team sport like soccer. For example, it:
- teaches coordination
- promotes teamwork and sharing
- teaches you to ‘think on the run’
- helps to increase skills in concentration, persistence and self-discipline
- is a great way to meet people and exercise with friends
- can provide an opportunity to increase your confidence and self-esteem, and help to reduce anxiety
- requires very little equipment, so it can be played in the backyard or park
- is relatively easy to learn, so beginners can easily join in the fun and play basic soccer for recreation
- is an international sport.
Age-Appropriate Activities
Preschoolers
Preschoolers can’t understand complex rules and often lack the attention span, skills, and coordination needed to play sports. Instead of playing on a team, they can work on fundamental skills. Soccer contributes to the well-being of children by engaging them in the sport while teaching them basic movements. At this introductory level, the objective is to get moving and keep active. Our U4 & U5 programs start with 30 minutes of Skills & Drills, focusing on fundamental movement skills, followed by a 30-minute mini-game.
Early school-age
Our U7 FUNdamentals program focuses on developing the ABCs of movement: agility, balance, and coordination, as well as speed, running, jumping, twisting, kicking, throwing and catching.
Small children are egocentric – playing with the ball is the most important objective. However, they now need to be introduced to cooperation between players. They gain an understanding of the game through playing situations, which helps to build game intelligence and decision-making.
No standings – jamboree format – EMPHASIS IS ON FUN!
Pre-teens
Pre-teens are starting to discover their likes and interests. They begin to enjoy the fun of the game and are excited to play as they grow, mature, and develop better muscle/body control.
Players move from self-centred to self-critical and have a high stimulation level during basic skills training. This age group is an optimal window for trainability of speed, flexibility and skills.
Our U9 and U11 programs work to build an increased repertoire of soccer-related movements. Technical skills are developed in training and within the context of basic soccer games. We work to develop tactical environmental awareness and encourage decision-making, simple combinations, marking, and running into space.
Teens
Teens have many choices when it comes to being active, from school sports to after-school interests. Having an exercise plan is a good idea since it often has to be sandwiched between school and other commitments.
Do what you can to make exercising easy for your teen by providing transportation and the necessary gear or equipment (including proper workout/exercise clothes). Sometimes, the right clothes and shoes might help a shy teen feel comfortable biking or going to the gym.
As children mature, we work to focus on flexibility, disciplined warm-up and cool-down, agility, aerobic and anaerobic endurance, strength, core strength and stability, balance, nutrition and proper diet (pre-game, post-game, tournaments), prevention and care of injuries, and the importance of rest/recovery. Personalized programs are needed in order to respect the growth spurt. We are able to introduce more advanced techniques to each individual’s skill level, technical acquisition in a more complex environment, and position-specific skills.