North Metro Soccer Association will be joining the MYSA Youth Academy Program (YAP) this fall for all competitive players born in 2009, 2010, and 2011.   YAP runs a Fall, Winter, and Spring season.

These guidelines are intended to help parents make decisions about their child’s readiness for competitive soccer.  If you have questions about your child’s readiness (and are prepared for an honest answer), please talk to Sean Beggin, Technical Director.

During Comp Prep training sessions, does your child:

3v3/4v4 SSG: control the ball (take multiple touches), find open space both with and without the ball, make deliberate passes to other players with the inside of the foot, run to play both offense and defense (remember, these are states of mind, not positions)

Technical Activity: execute the moves of the week at a jogging pace or faster, practice moves at home, juggle the ball 3 to 4+ times consecutively, listen to coaches

Tactical Activity: have cognitive awareness of where the ball is supposed to be while on certain parts of the field

Full Field Simulation: have awareness of space of their position, control the ball on arrival, run to respond to what is happening on the field, dribble to open space, make moves while dribbling, score when in offensive third, defend deliberately, throw the ball in legally

If these things are not happening consistently, it is OK.  They are just not quite ready for competitive soccer yet. One of the worst things we do as parents is push our kids into things that they are not prepared for.  There is nothing wrong with practicing these skills and continuing to mature while having fun in the recreational program.