U8 Mini Mavericks Academy
Mavericks Soccer Club has launched the Mini Mavericks U7-U8 Soccer Academy for players born in 2014-2015-2016. This program provides the youngest players with the best possible start to their soccer experience. The Mini Mavericks U7-U8 soccer academy guides and develops young soccer players during important early stages of soccer development, where an environment of learning, fun, and play is paramount to all young soccer players long-term love and development.
Coaches play a huge part in a young soccer player’s life whether that be good or bad. Our Mini Mavericks coaching staff are specifically identified and selected because of their superb understanding of young children and their soccer development. Creating a fun and rewarding environment for these young players can enhance a serious long-term love for soccer, the Mini Mavericks soccer program creates positive habits that build into the foundation of soccer excellence in future years. Allowing younger players the freedom for creativity and enjoyment is at the heart of what we aim to achieve in the Mini Mavericks program, often kids who enjoy the game are more likely to thrive for many years to come.
Our objectives for the Mini Mavericks academy are clear and simple, we aim to create the most comprehensive and rewarding soccer environment for all soccer players within the program.
Interested? Contact us to set up a time to attend a practice info@maverickssoccer.com
Benefits of the Program
Playing for the Enjoyment
The most important element of the Mini Maverick academy is enjoyment. Our coaching staff a create fun and exciting atmosphere for players as they learn new skills and make new friends. At heart of everything we achieve at Mavericks Soccer Club are players who enjoy the game of soccer. Having a love for soccer will undoubtedly allow players to improve at a faster rate
Winning is never placed above development, learning or fun. The Mini Mavericks U7-U8 program promotes healthy competition and encourages players to be competitive using their skills and ideas learned during practices.
Developing Individual Techniques
As players improve their individual soccer techniques they will, in turn, grow in confidence and creativity. It is vitally important that any young soccer player develops their individual techniques, as they are the building blocks for all soccer development.
Developing Motor Skills
Any young person must learn to live within their ever-developing body, and this is even more important for young soccer players. The Mini Mavericks soccer program prepares players by developing and improving basic motor skills, coordination, balance, and agility.
Developing Team Work
Soccer is a team sport and while the majority of the Mini Mavericks program is based on individual technique development, our coaches will encourage players in small groups and team interactions. Our aim is for each player to apply his or her individual techniques in a small group or team environment.
Training Format
Players will train two times per week beginning early August for the fall season, and the beginning of March for Spring season. Our coaches will teach, encourage, and nurture players to effectively develop technical ability, understanding, creativity and confidence while training and playing in the Mini Mavericks program.
Practices will largely be held in station style group training. In essence, each training session will consist of a number of stations that vary in theme, i.e. dribbling, passing, finishing. Groups will rotate through each different station in order to experience all activities and coaches. The groups will be organized by skill level in order to keep the training environment challenging for all involved.
The Advantages of Group Training
- Player development at the youngest ages is very fluid due to different rates of physical and mental maturation amongst kids. The group training system rewards players who continually work to improve their skill and understanding of the game throughout the season without limiting kids to one team
- Players are placed in an environment that allows them to develop an awareness of what it means to be a Mavericks player
- Gives the players a chance to learn from, and measure themselves against, others in the program
- Allows Mavericks to build the future of the club
- Allows the Mini Mavericks players to engage with current and older Mavericks players through our Young Coaches Program
Professional Coaching
The Mini Mavericks program has assigned club staff coaches for training and games. In addition, members of the Mavericks YCP (Young Coaches Program) will assist the Mavericks professional coaching staff.
As with all of our teams, coaching should be left to the coaching staff, and parents should not offer advice to players during games or practice. Parents should refrain from giving any tactical feedback to players regarding performance unless they have consulted with the coach as they may give contradictory information which can lead to confusion or frustration for the player.
Parent Support
POSITIVE
Positive support is vital during times of disappointment, not just when things are going well. The ups and downs are a natural part of a young soccer player’s developmental process if handled appropriately. Positive parental support does not include coaching your child from the sidelines.
ENCOURAGING
Positive encouragement from parents is vital in helping young soccer players succeed and enjoy the game. The job of the parents is to be their child’s biggest fan. Positive feedback and encouragement should outweigh constructive criticism. This allows players to grow in confidence, which is a key to success in soccer, or any other sport.
POSITIVE COACHING
Positive coaching from our coaches is very important to our players’ development. We must ensure that our players are instilled with confidence, understand the coach's instructions, and also have the ability to handle constructive feedback from the coach. Encouragement at this level is a massive motivational tool to making our players successful, creative and well-rounded soccer players.
Uniforms
Mini Mavs uniforms can be purchased from Soccer Pro in Berkeley.
