Part of any successful BINS program is the use of an Under-8 Academy. Starting with the 2008 Fall Soccer season at GSL, the Under-8 Academy will be launched. The Academy will be a series of eight sessions over an eight week period (one practice a week) that will focus on the primary skills of dribbling, passing, and shooting. Participation in the Academy sessions are completely optional, but players are encourage to attend as many sessions as possible during the season. There will be no additional charge to attend the Academy sessions.
Academy coaches will cover the basics of each skill set and work with players to ensure that they are developing the appropriate skills that will make them better soccer players over the long term. Coaches at the Academy have years of experience in player development. Some Academy sessions will be taught by coaches of local competitive clubs.
One of the reasons that the Under-8 Academy (as well as the overall BINS program) is being started was that coaches at the older age groups were getting seriously concerned about the lack of skills that players coming out of younger age groups were showing upon joining the older teams. Coaches were having to go back over the "basics" of dribbling, passing, and shooting with the players. This prevented them from working on the tactical development that U10 and U12 players needed. Similar to school, a 3rd grade teacher should expect an incoming student to be able to read and write, a U10 coach should expect an incoming player that did two years of soccer should know how to dribble and pass. Sadly that was not happening. Many players got quickly discouraged and left soccer completely.
The purpose of the U8 Academy is to address and fix those issues going forward. More information about the U8 Academy will be coming out as the season approaches.
Academy coaches will cover the basics of each skill set and work with players to ensure that they are developing the appropriate skills that will make them better soccer players over the long term. Coaches at the Academy have years of experience in player development. Some Academy sessions will be taught by coaches of local competitive clubs.
One of the reasons that the Under-8 Academy (as well as the overall BINS program) is being started was that coaches at the older age groups were getting seriously concerned about the lack of skills that players coming out of younger age groups were showing upon joining the older teams. Coaches were having to go back over the "basics" of dribbling, passing, and shooting with the players. This prevented them from working on the tactical development that U10 and U12 players needed. Similar to school, a 3rd grade teacher should expect an incoming student to be able to read and write, a U10 coach should expect an incoming player that did two years of soccer should know how to dribble and pass. Sadly that was not happening. Many players got quickly discouraged and left soccer completely.
The purpose of the U8 Academy is to address and fix those issues going forward. More information about the U8 Academy will be coming out as the season approaches.