Summer Soccer 2015 Athens Soccer Academy

Soccer Friends,

Here are the Athens, Ohio soccer offerings for Under 6 Soccer Stars--Under 8 White Dragons--Under 10 Black Pearls--Under 12 Red Dragons--and Under 15 Black Dragons

1 Under 6 Soccer Stars

In May starting tomorrow, May 4, 2015, ASA and Athens Community Center will once again offer Under 6 Parent/Child Soccer Class

Monday May 4, 11, 18, 25

Register at ACM

5:15-6:30PM
at Athens Community Center (Outside)

2  Under 6 Soccer Stars

In June

Under 6 Soccer Camp June 22-26

5:15-6:30PM

at Athens Community Center (Outside)

3 Under 8 White Dragons--Under 10 Black Pearls--Under 12 Red Dragons--and Under 15 Black Dragons

Summer Skills Training Days
6 Week Program: Choose your dates

Tentative Dates and Times

Email tad@athenssocceracademy.com

Once we have a group, we will see what works, email your interest and age group

June 2, 3, 4//9, 10, 11//30

July 1, 2// 14, 15, 16// 21, 22, 23// 28, 29, 30

Under 15 email tad@athenssocceracademy.com with your evening preferences

 Under 8 Tuesday

Under 10 Wednesday

Under 12 Thursday

5:15-6:30PM

Rec Center Grass/Tennis Courts

Players should bring Flat tennis type shoes and soccer cleats

 

 

Sunday Stars Soccer League October Season

This is where we are headed...

This is where we begin.....

Under 6 & 8 Stars Soccer

Under 6 & Under 8 Stars League

League Info Page--https://sites.google.com/a/athenssocceracademy.com/www/youthleague

League 1 Ages: 3, 4, 5 Year-Olds
League 2: 5, 6, and 7 Year-Olds

Leagues 1 and 2 will train and play together in November.

Four Games and Eight Trainings

Game Days
Sunday October 5--- 2:00 Train 2:45 Game

Sunday October 19-- 2:00 Train 2:45 Game

Thursday October 23-- 5:15 Train 5:45 Game

Sunday October 26-- 2:00 Train 2:45 Game

Training Season
Tuesday September 30 6:15-7:15PM

   Tuesday  October 7 6:15-7:15
 Tuesday October 14 6:15-7:15
  Tuesday October 21 6:15-7:15

Training Makeup Date Tuesday October 28-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four Games plus 4 trainings 1 Player--$30

2nd Family Player--$15 
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November Means Indoor Soccer--Condition your ball touch and raise your confidence 

Stars Single/ Second player

Single Player $30.00 USD 2nd Family Player $45.00 USD

Sunday Stars Under 6 Select Soccer League Finale'--Part 1

Part 1 of  3

We tore the field up--figuratively--this week.  As we have progressed through the six weeks, these players have more and more come to own their game.  Today we added in 1) dynamic warmup, 2) the agility ladder, and 3) Team Green and Orange Coaches as Goalkeepers in League 1.

I have been impressed each and every week, but something about today felt like a new level, like we all knew what to do, and the kids were more relaxed and enjoyed the play.

 Thank you P's--slang for parents--can we play again, please? 

Next League Starts August 31!

 Very few touches are random kicks.

These players are internalizing the game of soccer each week, and this includes the skills, the athletic endorphin rush, and the social mix that this game offers.  For the 45 minutes we are out there, we function as a team, like a team does in their training and in their first half of a full 90 minute game.


Watching the game or these videos from Coach/Ref Cam--Coming in Parts 2 and 3-- reveals how well these players are playing. Dribbling comes in first as the preferred method of advancing the ball, but we've also witnessed some beautiful field vision and passing--Larkin serving and assisting to Blake in week four for his goal is just one example emblazoned in my memory as a "Did you see that?" moment.

Warmup

For a brief overview of why we do Dynamic Stretching see--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_stretching

Today we worked some high knees, high heels, sidestepping, and two ASA favorites: Super Skipping, and Frankenwalking--see video below.  While the functional Warm-ups are developing athletic mobility and providing a proper warm-up activity, they also serve to teach the players about the concept of a team.

We coach them to move through the grid as a team, and this allows an opportunity to have coordination across both the mental and physical planes.

Agility Ladder

The kids love the agility tool, and when they slow down and connect their Mind with their Body, they can step lightly and purposefully with rhythm and grace...Just Watch

The agility ladder offers a chance to coordinate Mind and Body.  The concentration needed to properly perform the specific movement, along with the physical effort to achieve a rhythm, allow the athlete to sharpen focus.

Read about other benefits of training with these tools here--http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/agility-ladder-benefits-and-uses-of-speed-and-agility-ladders

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Next Post Covering Game On

League 1 3:00-3:45PM

League 2 3:45-4:30

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Sunday League starts on August 31st

August Additional Trainings

August 12 August 26  6:15-7:15PM East State Street

Cost is 5 bucks per session.

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Sunday Stars Under 6 & Under 8 Leagues

League Info Page--https://sites.google.com/a/athenssocceracademy.com/www/youthleague
 

League 1 Ages: 3, 4, 5 Year-Olds 3:00PM
League 2: 5, 6, and 7 Year-olds 3:45PM

Game Days
August 31

September 7

ASA @ Paw Paw Festival--No Games September 14--

September 21

September 28

Training Season Starts Wednesday September 3

Wednesdays
5:15-6:15

September 3
September 10September 17September 24 Four Games plus 4 trainings 1 Player--$30

2nd Family Player--$15

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Some Important Links

http://howtosoccerblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/teaching-soccer-technique.html

and here are three covering the League

Week 4
http://howtosoccerblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/under-6-under-8-soccer-league-week-4.html#.U-bTlGON4tU

Week 2
http://howtosoccerblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/under-6-under-8-summer-leagues-week-2.html#.U-bTvWON4tU

Week 1
http://howtosoccerblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/under-6-under-8-summer-leagues-week-2.html#.U-bTvWON4tU

Week 6 Post is coming Soon. 

Thanks for Playing

Tad Albano

Athens Soccer Academy--https://sites.google.com/a/athenssocceracademy.com/www/home

How To Soccer-- http://goo.gl/9BG9Er

http://howtosoccerblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-soccer-get-better-as-player-5.html#.U0OAgxXD-Uk

 

Under 6 & Under 8 Soccer League Week 4

League 1 Starts the Day

Even though the Skies Look Grey

 

Then League 2 steps in

and these teams play to win 

  

 

 The Goals happen early for the Orange Team

And this group has mad skill and finesse

Whenever certain players get on the ball

The rest of us are thrilled and impressed

 

 

While its good to have them learn the game and have a chance to run

 we'd likely be mistaken to think they haven't any fun.

Under 6 & Under 8 Summer Leagues Week 2--7/6/2014

This week we warmed up as a Group...

Learned about Substitutes and Players, and were reminded about the Referee.

You can see the disappointment when we are not playing soccer, but part of this program aims to teach about the game.



Then the Game Kicks in for the League 2--Under 6 Stars.  These faces tell the stories of love.

Each week is an experiment until we can find the best arrangement to serve these players. There were two fields this week, and they ran simultaneously.  However the league is moving to a 2 game model after the World Cup Break.  We will have a few changes when we play next on July 20.
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 No Training July 8// No Games Sunday July 13--Watch the World Cup

 Next Match/Game Day July 20
3:00-3:45 League 2 Players Ages 3, 4, 5
3:45-4:30 League 1 Players Ages 5, 6, 7

Training Calendar to be announced this week

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League 2 Game

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I am looking for a few moments during the 45 minutes each team will be out there, where the chaos subsides a bit, and we can learn.

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League 1 Learning about Goalkeeper Distribution

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Watch the World Cup at Home in the privacy of your own dome--
http://espn.go.com/watchespn/#type/upcoming/startDate/20140713/

• 7/13
  2:30 PM EDT
  2014 FIFA World Cup Final (Final) (2014 FIFA World Cup) Closed captioning available
  ESPN3

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These two girls run the field. They are Players to watch! Vlada and Larkin!!!

Mayer is going to be a--Relevant- Real- Deal- --Player. Carter had a great day in goal.

These faces tell the stories for these players who love the game, and this blogpost is dedicated to them from someone who love it too.

Soccer Friends,

Here is the blogpost telling the story for this week.

http://howtosoccerblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/under-6-under-8-summer-leagues-week-2.html#.U7qOBLG8BVA

Keep sending me pics and videos and tell me what you and your child have to report. I can use every shred of usable evidence from these days in the blog coverage.  Even if what you have to report is not glowing, if it helps tell the story from your perspective, I am interested in hearing it and maybe I can use it too.

We are taking 1 Week off until the World Cup is over.  We may start back training on Tuesdays, but we may need to find another night. Look for an update regarding training.

I am changing the Sunday format so I can be on the field for each game.  The blog explains the new schedule.   The Parent Assistants have done a great job, but I do not want to overwork them.  I also feel the highest level of instruction happens when the game is focused.  So I am looking for a few moments during the 45 minutes each team will be out there, where the chaos subsides a bit, and we can learn.

I hope to be blogging this week about the World Cup and youth soccer, so look for a few other How To Soccer Posts.  Also How To Soccer has its own YouTube account now with 0 subscribers.  Be the first on your block to watch how we "knock" here--http://goo.gl/9BG9Er

Under 6 Soccer: Learning to shoot a moving ball

Very young soccer players can exhibit incredible natural talent. The trick for the coach or the parent -coach is to create the environment which offers challenge and success.  In learning to shoot a moving ball, the student starts by kicking a ball at rest and progresses to shooting balls off a service.



There are a few key coaching points to keep in mind, but if the player has a natural rhythm and connection with the ball, like the player in these videos, there is no need to "overcoach".  In this series, we encouraged the player to run at goal, find the ball and shoot, then recharge the run and repeat.

These are some results.





Next we weight the service to make it stop as the shooter approaches.  The shooter has to align the run so that the hips face the goal.

 

Finally serve the ball at the end of the player's run so that the ball is moving diagonally across the player's run to goal. The support foot aligns next to the ball and the shooting foot finds the back edge of the ball. Shoot straight at goal, keeping the ball low.  Recharge the run and roll another service.  As the player gains skill and confidence the ball can be served in with greater momentum and a goalkeeper may be added, or a target placed in the goal.







Good Luck working with your child or your team.

If you are interested in scheduling Individual Trainings this summer contact Coach tad@athenssocceracademy.com.



Mind                    Body                     Spirit                       Soccer      

All Spring Trainings are at Athens Soccer Complex

https://sites.google.com/a/athenssocceracademy.com/www/maps/acs

 

Under 6 Soccer 

 

Cost for program is $30

All classes are open to any registered player

 

 

Sunday May 4, 11, 18, 25

3:00-3:45pm--Player/Parent Class ages 2, 3, 4

4:00-5:00pm  Game On Sundays--"Organized" games from 4-5PM at Athens Soccer Complex

 Ages 3 and up

 

 

Wednesday May 7, 14, 21, 28--5:15-6:00

5:15-6:00--Player/Parent Class ages 2, 3, 4

6:15-7:15 Player/Parent Game all ages

 

 

Introducing

Game On Sundays

"Organized" games from 4-5PM at Athens Soccer Complex

Ages 3 and up

email to register @ tad@athenssocceracademy.com