Our soccer program has been carefully developed around FA guidelines to offer age appropriate coaching, playing opportunities and feedback to create a positive and constructive pathway towards competitive football.
Classes are run by qualified soccer coaches, who not only teach soccer specific skills and game sense, but are also experienced in developing the child as a whole, including aspects such as teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership.
All this takes place in a fun, friendly environment so that children to promote both learning and a love of the game!
We also provide the opportunity to experience team skills and play through matches using small teams that are changed often, and an end of season tournament.

 Coaching Pathway

Children participating in midweek and Saturday coaching programs progress through a two-part coaching pathway.
Football Fun-damentals works on basic agility, balance and coordination skills and group cooperation, in order to introduce the basic techniques and concepts of soccer. From the age of 6 and above, players are developed and tested using the FA Soccer Star Challenge tests, which are Running with the Ball, Turning, Dribbling, Speed, Heading and Shooting. This is a fun program developed by the FA that boys and girls will love using to measure their own improvement over time.
In addition, players in Level 4 and above will be given separate individual feedback forms, to give provide qualitative feedback and goal-setting.

Speed, Agility and Quickness (SAQ)

We incorporate Speed, Agility and Quickness drills across our coaching programs. This is an exciting and fun way to help children understand the importance of skills including: running technique, foot placement, changing direction, jumping, landing, accelerating, stopping, twisting, turning and reacting. We use equipment such as floor ladders, foot hurdles and agility poles to develop every child’s understanding and ability in this, which is beneficial for almost every sport.

 Football Fun-damentals

Level 1 – Soccer Sharks (ages 3-4)
This class is a fun introduction to soccer, and develops gross motor skills such as running and jumping, as well as introducing basic soccer skills such as kicking and dribbling. Fun games and drills are used, where when working on soccer skills children will almost always have one ball each, so that children learn to enjoy soccer! (45mins)

Level 2 – Football Fans (ages 5-6)
In addition to kicking and dribbling, control, first touch and technique are taught and practiced, as the objective is to learn how to control and touch the ball for later years. These are introduced in fun, enjoyable games, which also begin to introduce the idea of group cooperation. (60 mins)

 FA Soccer Star Challenge

Level 3 – Premier League (ages 6-8)
The focus again is on control, dribbling, first touch, and technique, building on the skills already developed. A wider range of drills are introduced, also aimed at preparing players for the Soccer Star challenges! (60 mins)

Level 4 – Champions League (ages 8-11)
Dribbling and control continue to be very important, but with more emphasis put upon these techniques performed under pressure. Children are now introduced to team play and positional understanding, as well as encouraged into problem solving situations. Passing, shooting, attacking/defending play are looked at in basic technique drills to help develop players correctly. (60-90 mins)

Level 5 – World Cup (ages 11-13)
More focus is put upon passing, shooting, attaching/defending, movement, and team play. Players learn how do perform more complex techniques and when to best use them, in preparation for game situations. Players are encouraged to solve football problems and be creative and expressive with their style of play. (60-90 mins)
For each level, children are given their own fun and ID tag, to help both them and you understand and follow their progress.

 Competitive Match Pathway

All coaching sessions include Mini Soccer games to allow skills and strategies to be tested and practised under coach guidance. Players in Level 2 and above can also take part in our fun end of season tournament that brings together children from all our coaching programs.
Players in Levels 3 and above also have the opportunity to sign up on Sundays for additional friendly matches and/or to take part in our regular league matches. Our league is run by professional coaches and according to FA guidelines.

Why Mini Soccer
The FA deems Mini-Soccer, ‘the most appropriate and fun introduction to football as it provides quality experiences for all young players at all levels and allows greater involvement with the game, with more touches, dribbles and passes’. Put simply Mini-Soccer is designed to meets the needs of children, as opposed to 11-a-side football!

Soccer Parents!
Parents play a crucial part in supporting the involvement of their children in football. The FA aims to help parents play a positive role, recognising that involement in football can greatly influence the development of children, both in the football environment and in their overall lifestyles.
More information on how parents can contribute to a positive football environment is available on the http://www.thefa.com/GetIntoFootball/Parents.aspx including a free online Soccer Parent course, aimed at helping both parents and coaches see things from a child’s perspective!

Puxi venues: BISS Puxi, BISS Nanxiang, SCIS Hong Qiao, Yanlord Riverside, YK-Pao School
Pudong venues: Seasons Villas, BISS Pudong, SCIS Pudong, Greenhills