Kids just wanna have fun!
At the development ages of 2 to 6 years old, kids generally don't have an appreciation for the benefits of building a skill nor do they associate any benefits with being good at something. They are hard wired to learn through play. As most parents know full well, kids will expend a tremendous amount of energy to play but picking up their toys is a terrible exertion. SoccerTots® understands the nature of kids and has created a curriculum that utilizes their motivation to develop athletic skills and fitness through a series of fun but beneficial games...but don't tell the kids...we're secretly developing them...
Super Concentration Mode
SoccerTots® succeeds in building athletic skills by getting the kids into what we call the super-concentration mode. The Super-concentration mode is where the kids are trying their hardest to achieve some objective that their brain and muscles are working together to learn and create muscle memory. That is where the skill development happens the fastest. The challenge is tapping into their motivation to get them into this ultra-skill-building mode. Most adults are too direct in their approach when training young children because they forget that kids at this age have totally different motivation.
The SoccerTots® Curriculum is designed to first introduce the fun, and thus the motivation, then add challenges. Our goal is to eventually get kids to perform a particular exercise that builds a vital skill while they are in the super-concentration mode. For example teaching kids to dribble a ball from one hoop to the other as fast as they can is a great exercise to learn ball control. Simply instructing them to do it results in an unmotivated, distracted effort. However, our curriculum, first introduces a game with a fun objective and then the ball is incorporated after the kids know the game and understand the fun. As a result, we get highly motivated kids in the super-concentration mode trying to get a ball from one hoop to the next. SoccerTots® has found that to optimize skill-building, the indirect approach works much faster and better than the traditional direct approach for older kids and adults.
Color - The French have a saying about fine dining that says “'the first bite is with the eyes.”Here at SoccerTots® we have a philosophy that says;
“The first fun is had with the eyes”
We love to incorporate lots of colorful props to add variety and fun to our curriculum. The more fun the better.
Size - SoccerTots® has found that the right sized equipment makes a tremendous difference in the proper development of children. For example our soccer balls are proportionately sized so kids don't have to compensate for oversized balls and thus learn bad habit in order to get control and momentum on a ball.
Safety - our equipment is carefully selected to be soft and easy. The fewer the boo-boos the better.
The SoccerTots® curriculum is a progressive curriculum design by experts with a comprehensive understanding of child development. The goal is to bring kids through the various stages so they not only grow their athletic skills and fitness but develop an interest and love for sports and aerobic activities. Each stage builds upon the previous stage with unique challenges and new skill building games. Children who have gone through the entire curriculum can demonstrate remarkable skill and have had great success in sports leagues.
Soccer is the perfect game for developing young bodies for any athletic endeavor. The first stages of athletic advancement entail creating body awareness, strength and fitness. Upon this core, advanced skills and muscle coordination can be developed for any sport.
Soccer is the world's most popular sport probably because it is a lifestyle sport that people can play their entire lives. Many adults play soccer as a fun, social way to get regular exercise with some playing well into their sixties or even seventies. So whether or not your child pursues soccer to a high level, teaching them the game could be a gift that lasts a lifetime.
1 Million Touches
The US Soccer Federation advocates that in order for a child to become a skillful player, they should have 1 million soccer ball touches before they are 16. SoccerTots® won't give your child one million touches but it's a start. If your child starts in Teddies and graduates up through Polar Bears then they will have many thousands of touches that become the foundation for a lifetime of skill.
Prepare them for sports
The feedback we get from the parents of kids who have been through our program has been very enthusiastic, especially in regards to preparing them for sports leagues. We consistently hear that the kids go into the early stages of sports leagues as being very advanced compared to the other players.
Quotes from Parents
“We created a team of girls who all did SoccerTots® together for a couple of years. We didn't lose a league game for years and even won some tournaments playing against older teams. They are a skillful group of players and I attribute that to SoccerTots (and my coaching).”¯
Jerry Cardenas - SoccerTots Parent and Coach. Spokane WA
“Thank you for your wonderful training. Jacob started playing soccer this year and is doing so well. He controls and kicks the ball so well compared to most the other kids and we know its from all the SoccerTots® training from coach Jaimey, and coach John. “
Aimee - Long Island NY
“Aden learned more in one SoccerTots® class then he did in the entire parks department program.”
Carol - Fredericksburg VA
Information about Child Fitness - Child Obesity - The Problem
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