LIL’ KICKERS

Bunnies classes are specially designed for children between the ages of 18 and 24 months. The purpose of the class is discovery. Together, coaches and parents will guide that discovery and help children build basic skills such as balance, coordination and socialize them within a group dynamic so they can develop confidence, learn how to follow directions, and strengthen the parent-child relationship.

Each activity is geared toward how children at this age learn with repetition being the crucial element. Coaches walk around the field to provide individualized attention. They care about what each child needs and accommodate for those needs.

Because adult participation is vital to the success of Bunnies classes; parents, guardians, or other caregivers are required to participate to help guide their child through the activities. Parents act as positive role models and help direct their child’s behavior and encourage participation, thus freeing the coach to focus on facilitating the games more effectively.

Thumpers is a class designed specifically for the needs of two and three years old. The classes use fun games, activities, and sensory tools to help the older toddler learn how to integrate into a group learning environment and build fundamental social, cognitive, and physical skills. To maximize learning, adult participation is required.

Cottontails is a class designed for children who are ready for more of a challenge than a Thumpers class, but who are not quite ready to be on the field without a parent or caregiver. The Cottontails curriculum is designed to build fundamental skills such as balance, coordination, and ball kicking skills. Cottontails classes also offer another component—helping your child build a sense of independence. As children progress through the session and become ready for more independence, parents can choose to transition to a less active role in the class.

Hoppers classes build fundamental social, cognitive ,and physical skills in three and four-year-olds. As in all Lil’ Kickers classes, Hoppers meets the child where they are developmentally which means this class is fun, fast-paced, and taps into the child’s imagination. We use highly creative games to capture their attention so they can develop overall coordination, balance, and strength and build teamwork, cooperation, listening, and of course, soccer skills.

Each week Hoppers classes will work on a specific area of focus. What parents will see is the development of a budding soccer player. What the children will gain are essential life skills that translate into high self-esteem, becoming team players, school readiness, and strong physical capabilities.

Children who are ready to be on the field without a parent, thrive in this class. If a child who has recently turned three is uncomfortable being on the field without his or her parent, a Cottontails class may better suit their needs. This will allow them to develop a stronger sense of independence. Children who are four and have had other experiences in class settings may be further along in their development, so a Jackrabbits or Micro 4/5 class may be more appropriate.

Jackrabbits classes equip children with essential skills for both on and off the soccer field. Children will develop soccer skills and build physical coordination and agility. But more importantly, they will acquire social interaction skills and skills for school readiness.

Designed for children who have already been through the Hoppers curriculum, this class focuses on listening, following directions, and sharing while cultivating a sense of teamwork—what it means to be a part of a team and what it means to work as a team—helping them progress from a “me” view of the world to a “we” view of the world.

As the session progresses, children will be allowed to practice these skills through participating in more one-ball-oriented activities where players learn to share the ball, which will lead up to scrimmaging later in the session. Scrimmages are non-competitive and teach players the value of effort, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. The goal of Jackrabbits is to help put children on the path to becoming confident, well-rounded individuals who are team-oriented and have a strong foundation for learning.

Big Feet classes introduce five and six-year-olds to the game of soccer helping them to develop the emotional, social, and physical readiness to play soccer and other team sports. This class provides an ideal setting for those players who are new to the game, who are a little less coordinated, who are shy, who have a less competitive nature, or who just aren’t ready to engage in team soccer. Big Feet classes use fun activities to develop basic soccer skills such as dribbling, passing, trapping, and scoring while helping players build confidence and develop a better understanding of teamwork. Some non-competitive scrimmages are played to enhance the learning process.

Micro classes are for children who are four and five years old, who have had previous soccer experience, and are ready for more of a challenge. Classes are designed to physically, emotionally, and socially prepare children for team soccer. Creative, fun activities are combined with non-competitive scrimmages to teach players fundamental skills as well as help them develop an understanding of the team concept.

Micro 6-9 classes are designed for children in this age range who have little experience playing soccer or who are not ready to play competitive soccer. The goals of this class are to help players develop fundamental life and soccer skills and teach them how and when to apply them in a game setting.