| Contents: | What is Recreation Soccer? Recreation soccer represents the largest component of youth soccer in the U.S. today. It is made up of boys and girls who start playing soccer because it is fun. For a few, they may go on to play on traveling youth soccer teams, be selected for the Olympic Development Program or U.S. national pools, and eventually, grow up to be great soccer players as adults. But for most of these players, they will go on to become great scientists and engineers, teachers and bankers, and terrific moms and dads who make their communities a better place to live. And their youth soccer experiences will be an important part of their development into fine men and women. Recreational soccer is often thought of as the non-competitive or "in-house" side of a league. But the first label is a misnomer, because recreational soccer is often as competitive as the other levels of play—with closely matched recreational teams battling for a league championship. Just watch a U-16 or U14 rec-level game sometime. All leagues within District II have a recreational program. It typically involves both girls and boys and can include U6 through U16 playing age groups. From serving at the CYSA state level to helping out in a variety of volunteer positions within your local league, there are plenty of excellent opportunities for parents, coaches (and potenital coaches), and players to become more familiar with the game and get involved in the #1 sport in the world. Coaching classes which offer, to the "non-soccer aware", everything from the basics to advanced techniques, warm-ups, running a practice, utilization of the field, and playing positions are available through your league. A good starting point is the Pre-F license. Taught by experienced instructors, this three-hour course gives you the basics—from learning the playing positions to a quick review of the rules. Just give them a call and they will point you in the right direction. The name of the game is FUN and LEARNING! Recreational soccer's focus is on making sure that the players continue to refine their skills and that they enjoy the game enough to never want to stop playing. While we keep scores in our games, the focus stays on fun and improvement. Teamwork is key to the success of our recreational program, so the players develop not only as individuals, but also as team players. These overall goals are embodied in all our programs from the state level through District II and down to our individual leagues. Special Programs in District II and Throughout the State TOPSoccer is a program for the developmentally disabled. This program, which is just catching on in the CYSA, takes small groups of kids and teaches them the fun of this wonderful game.Contact the District II recreational director for more information. Soccer Start is a program for the inner city youth who may not be able to afford the game of soccer. This program is currently at the "grassroots" level and growing. Contact the District II recreational director for more information. One of the most important tasks in forming a team or starting a season is holding a parent meeting. Parent volunteers can get involved and help with a variety of team activities—from bringing snacks to assisting with coaching. CYSA has prepared slides to help you plan and run a more successful team meeting. Choose a PDF here, or if your computer has Microsoft PowerPoint, a slide set you can customize for your team.
|
