Purpose: To instruct the youngest members of the Lorain City Soccer Association in the basics and fundamentals of soccer.
Mission: Use of the game of soccer to promote a healthy and active lifestyle in children during their formative years and to instill a lifelong love of the game in the heart of the player.
Scope:
1. Provide a flexible, weekly, 4-day practice schedule to LCSA members in the U5 thru U8 age groups. Members choose how often and on what days they attend training sessions.
2. Provide hands on training and assistance to Coaches within the 4-day practice schedule. Coaches need attend as few as 1 or 2 training sessions per week.
3. Provide an Open Game Day format, guaranteeing a minimum of 1 game situation per week to each member and coach.
4. Create opportunities for players to train and play with other players according to their comfort level and ability.
5. Open the minds of players, parents and coaches to the various techniques, insights and abilities that other members or LCSA affiliated persons have concerning the sport of soccer.
6. Use of a system of Managers to handle day-to-day matters so that Coaches are focused on learning and teaching the game.
7. Use of a standardized training curriculum. Ensure the uniformity of training and formation of players and coaches to prepare them for future team competition.
Definitions as applied to the Lorain City Soccer School:
1. Member- players, parents, guardians/custodians, persons who volunteer, coaches, managers and officers who are active within the LCSA.
2. Manager- a volunteer (normally a parent) who assists the school and its coaches in the transfer of information to parents, distribution of literature/forms and transmits feedback from the parents to the school, coaches or LCSA. Each manager will be asked to oversee a set group of players on game day and be the voice of the parents for that group through out the season. Peanut League managers will be responsible for 5 players, while Buckeye League managers will be responsible for 6 players. Managers do not need to have or acquire a working knowledge of the game of soccer.
3. Coach- a volunteer (normally a parent) who assists the school in training and instructing players in the game of soccer. Each coach will be asked to instruct a group of players at the training sessions at least once a week, each week of the season. Groups should range from 5 – 10 players per session. Each coach will be asked to assist at the games each week for the duration of the season.
4. Officers- members of the LCSA who have been elected to run the association and oversee the operation of the school.
Description:
1. Training Sessions will be offered everyday Monday thru Thursday during the six-week season. It is the responsibility of the parents or guardians/custodians to transport the players to Longfellow Park. Sessions will begin at the time listed in the schedule and will last for one hour. Dropping off of players will be frowned upon and not tolerated as a norm. There will be a minimum of 4 coaches required at the start of each session. The first part of the session will consist of stretching, warm-up, motor development and controlled socialization. The second part will revolve around soccer specific training/playing. It is the choice of the players and parents or guardians/custodians on what day(s) and how often that they attend training.
2. Open Game Day will be held on Saturday and Sunday each weekend at the time listed in the schedule, for the last four weeks of the season. Saturday mornings will be reserved for the Peanut League while Sunday afternoons will be for the Buckeye League. It is the responsibility of the parents or guardians/custodians to transport the player to Longfellow Park on game day and meet with their Manager. Dropping off of players will be frowned upon and not tolerated as a norm. Coaches will “referee” the games and Managers will assist on the sideline. Parents or guardians/custodians will watch and cheer their players on from the opposite sideline of the players. Being in an open format means that there will not be “teams”. Managers will meet with other managers at a field with their players and a game will break out. This can happen several times for each group of players. A player doesn’t have to play more than one game on any given day, but can stay and play if there are others to join in with. This will not continue all day long, but for as long as coaches are available and the duration remains reasonable.
3. A Standardized Training Curriculum will be used to ensure that each player is trained in the same fashion. The curriculum will be set each week by the LCSA and training lessons will distributed to the coaches for coming week. Lessons will be duplicated as needed to bring about proficiency in the players. Foot Skills for example will be a regularly present lesson in weekly training as it is the foundation of the sport. The use of a standardized training curriculum also help to coach the coach and ensures the LCSA Coaches are prepared to handle a team at the U9 level or higher, when the time comes.
4. The Peanut League is set-aside for players at the U5 and U6 age levels. This league will operate according to the rules set forth by the USYSA for U6 Small Sided Games.
5. The Buckeye League is set-aside for players at the U7 and U8 age levels. This league will operate according to the rules set forth by the USYSA for U8 Small Sided Games.