Mini-Kickers game one action video...

Kicker Soccer week of 9/27

Here is the schedule of practices this week: 

• Kickers U10 - Monday at 7pm (soccer camp in sherman)
• Mini Kickers U6 - Thursday - 4pm, Georgetown pool
• Kickers U10 - Friday at 4:30pm at VAMS
• *this week no Tuesday practice for U10 Kickers. We will be having occasional Tuesday practices. We are using the Monday camp as a skills work and the other practices as team practices. 

What a great weekend of soccer! 

• Mini-kickers had a great first game. They all played so well and it was so fun to watch the beginning of soccer again. They kept asking after the game "if they had won". I kept saying, "yes both teams did because we had fun". Finally one of them asked, "who had more goals?". I responded that we indeed had more goals.
• The Kickers had a great all around game to start their season. Leading 1-0 at half, we added 3 more second half goals to make a 4-0 game. All of the other teams played last week, and I was wondering if the new field would affect us. We also only started putting together the formation basically at the last practice. The girls responded with a great effort and learning their positions how to play on the big field. 
• Big Kickers - Who knew what to expect playing a new team from a different area (Bonham) and without our goalie who missed her second game in about 9 seasons! I would have never figured on a 7-0 victory! But even better than that was just the total team play, smart soccer and effort that we showed. I was proud of the girls and their overall knowledge of the game when I started mixing things up on the field and how well we all played in different positions. 

Soccer Website

• The link is now active to our website....VA All the Way.com  or www.vaalltheway.com 
• Our practice schedule is linked to this website. I use google calender to try to bring order to my chaotic life. This is always up to date!
• Our game schedules also include the scores of games.

Coaching Younger Players

I was asked for advice for coaching younger players U6 below. 

I recommend the MLS Camp Curriculum, it is a pdf publication. They take a season of practices and have gamesheets based on age groups (U4-to U16). Basically they have a whole season of skills sessions broken down for each week! Contact me about this resource and I will let you know how to get your hands on it. 

Here are a couple of tips: 

• 80% of practice at this age should be with everyone having their own ball. End practice with 1v1, 2v2 and game situations. But they will love practice when they all have a ball. 
• The MLS curriculum will have a lot of games with them all using a ball
• red light green light teach them to dribble keep the ball close, red light they should be able to stop the ball with their toe in one step.
• soccer freeze tag (players dribble inside square coach tags player and they are frozen until another player directs a ball through or touches their leg with their ball. 
• four corners: have four corners and designate a color. players dribble inside square until coach calls the color and the players try not to be the last person. 
• soccer ball relay - place all of the balls in the middle. Divide team in two. they have to race to get a ball dribble it to a spot and leave it. Go clap the hand of the next player until all of the balls are taken and then have them return them to the middle. 
• dribble and score. two teams with one goal. Have them start next on the side of the goal. Have them dribble to the middle of the field and around a cone. Then after the round the cone the first one to score by shooting the goal wins that round. 
• Coaches Supply
• A set of cones and soccer flags are a necessity. The flags are multipurpose and cost 6$ each at the soccer post in McKinney. They can be goals and many other items in games. 

Thanks Tim!

We should all thank Tim Urban for his service to the children of our community. Tim Urban has been the VA representative for 10 years, two seasons a year. His service and dedication to the kids is appreciated. Personally, he helped me understand and navigate the TSA processes over those years.  I only hope to be as partially patient as he has been to me. I only wanted to step into this position after he said it was time for him to retire. Thanks Tim! 

Are you a first year coach?

Do you have a question? A question about soccer?  A question about games or practices? Post it in the comment section!

We are also wanting to create a page on this website of info based off of questions for the future as a resource. 

Soccer Camp Opportunity

I wanted to pass on some information concerning a great opportunity that TSA is offering this fall. They are bringing in a camp each week to help train and teach skills. TSA is offering to pay part of the registration for each of the first 65 players registered! This camp is being led by Challenger Sports, a soccer camp provider. 

Details: 

• Two age groups
• under 9, Monday night 5:30-7pm
• 9 and older - Monday nights from 7-8:30
• At Fairview park, on the Wilkes Pitch
• Sept 20 - Nov1  (7 weeks)
• Cost right now is 40$ (after they get 65 players it goes up to $70)
• Here is the link to the flyer
• Register online here

U10 Kickers

Practice this week:

Tuesday at 5pm at the Middle School track 

Friday at 4:30 (can people make it at this time? or a little later at 5pm?)

Monday Soccer Camp

We have heard from the following people that would be willing to do the Monday night skill sessions. I have the following players: Kerrigan, Millicent,  Alyssa, Kaylan, Kaitlynn, and Rachel. 

I know it makes for a late night being til 8:30 and then getting home. One option is to leave a little early. I can understand this not working for everyone. I checked on another option for a week to week camp through Bobby Moffat and it is $175! So to get this experience for $40 is a bargain! Reminder, $40 rate if for the first 65 players to register. I will tell you that tomorrow night they are going to announce this to all of the coaches. Here is the link to register online

Here is our schedule