Abbotsford Soccer
...Promoting Soccer
What's New:
Early Bird Registration Fee ends June 30th
Updated June 10, 2011
Register for Fall/Winter program now!! Early Bird fee ends June 30th
Home Games:
Next Home Game 6:00pm
Mon, July 4, 2011
Updated June 30, 2011
Club Events:
Shin Pad & Boot Exchange Program
Updated May 16, 2011
Wee Kickers Outline
Wee Kickers Outline
TO: Parents of U-6/U-7 Wee Kicker players
FROM: Technical Director & Wee Kickers Master Coach
RE: Welcome to our Club!
The purpose of this
letter is to outline the club philosophy for the U-6 & U-7 Wee Kicker
players. By explaining to you the skill priorities and program
objectives for your child, the program’s format, and your role within
the program, we hope we can clarify many of your questions and work
together to make sure we provide a wonderful experience for everyone
involved. Above all else, please remember that, as a Club, our primary
objective is to make sure that every player gets what they want out of
the game at the different levels of play from U-6 through U-18 while
having fun.
The Wee Kickers Program will only be a success WHEN the parents become
involved and take on the role of a facilitator and join in all the
sessions and support the Master Coach.
Parents will be required to remain at the field during all the Wee
Kickers sessions.
Program Objectives
The primary objectives of the U-6/U-7 Wee Kickers program is to give the game back to the kids, instill a love for the game ,develop facilitators into future coaches, educate parents on positive sideline behavior & facilitating an environment that allows “The Game To Be The Teacher” for in the end soccer is a player’s game.
The Wee Kickers Program is based on & inspired by the street soccer concepts of free play, small sided games & minimal rules. No set teams until U-8, young children start to identify with the concept of “team” around the age of 7 or 8, so forming season long teams & having coaches, refs & rules for these young players is an adult imposed condition that eliminates most connections to the ideals of street soccer & free play.
Once players graduate to U-8 they will enter Mini Kickers recreational program U-8 to U-10, and be placed on teams and be coached by the "Team Coach" and receive additional coaching from a "Master Coach" on a rotational basis.
Skill Priorities
The primary objective in skill development of the U-6/U-7 Wee Kickers program is to encourage players to dribble. We want players to be comfortable with the ball at their feet and want to help build their confidence.
By encouraging them to dribble, we hope to encourage creativity as well as adding their own personality to the game. Please recognize we do not list kicking or booting the ball as an objective. We do not want the children to aimlessly kick the ball as it is not helpful to their development as a player. They need to touch the ball as often as possible and to develop skills. We much prefer they learn how to dribble as opposed to just kicking the ball. Typically, young players find dribbling much more fun.
Program Structure and
Facilitators
The players will be organized in to group of approx ten (1) players at the
beginning of the season, and one or two parent volunteers (facilitators) will be
assign to each group and the facilitators will work with the Master Coach to deliver the program
at each session as outlined by the Master Coach.
There will be skills sessions for approximately the first 30 minutes of each session followed by the group breaking off into small sided game for the remainder.
During the small sided games the groups will enjoy the opportunity to play
against the other groups as they move through the mini game portion of the program.
Field Layout
Players will play
small sided games 3 v 3 & 4v 4 within their group of playmates. You will be asked to
sit a few yards away from the sidelines during games in an area
designated as the Parent’s Area.
The objective here is to give the players a sense of freedom, encourage
the players to think for
themselves and minimize the effect that we adults have on the children’s play.
We hope to
encourage them to think for themselves when on the field and wean them
out of their dependency on
the adults and eliminate any pressures from parents for them to perform.
Sideline Behavior /We ask that you:
1) Refrain from sideline coaching, screaming or running up and down the sidelines. It is not acceptable if you hear yourself yelling from the sideline: Go Timmy, Timmy go, Kick it, Boot it, Get it Timmy, Timmy pass it, Timmy hustle, get rid of it, Timmy play your position, Timmy play wide, Timmy get up stop being a wimp; Timmy run harder etc.
I think you get the idea…Geppetto was the last puppeteer to have his son on strings, so unless your son or daughter is named Pinocchio let him or her play on their own.
2) Feel free to cheer and applaud. This is not “silent soccer”, but it should be positive soccer.
Please refrain from offering negative comments and please applaud good plays by all players.
3) Exhibit good sportsmanship and remember we the adults are guests at their games.
