Spring Soccer Academy
February 20 - March 27
Overview
Children, three to ten years old, will be broken up into age and skill appropriate groups for the activities and games for one hour. The activities are designed to teach the fundamentals of soccer through fun drills and exercises.
The fundamentals activities will take place in the first 30-minutes, with two 10-minute games to follow. Children will be led through stretching and have plenty of water breaks. Of course, the session will end with the all-important snack time.
The key to this academy experience is that practice and games are incorporated into one hour on a Saturday morning. This frees families to have their whole day open to other activities, instead of managing multiple games for more than one child on a given Saturday and practice day.
Academy style soccer removes the focus on teams or on wins vs. losses; rather, we place emphasis on player development. Instead of each coach being assigned to a few players and the age group divided into smaller, season-long teams, all players of each age group receive the same color jersey and are considered to be part of one larger team. Each time the children gather to play, they will be divided into a new "team" to allow for a variety of interaction and experiential learning.
Coaches are less focused on managing a team and more focused on developing all players assigned to his/her field of play. Coaches manage the games, stop for player development conversations, and re-divided teams during play based on display of skill level. Each age group will interact with multiple coaches on a given Saturday, which provides a variety of perspectives into the players’ development.
Academy Schedule
The six-week academy begins on Saturday, February 20. The academy begins promptly at 9:00 am. Players are encouraged to arrive between 8:50-8:55 am. The academy dates are February 20, 27, March 6, 13, 20, and 27.
Registration Opens December 7th and Closes January 28th
The Soccer Academy costs $40 and $30 for additional players.
The cost covers jersey & shorts, snacks, and equipment fees.
Each child is encouraged to bring soccer cleats, shin guards and socks, and a soccer ball (size 3).
To register and receive the $10 off Early Bird discount, enter the promo code “EARLYBIRD2021” at checkout by January 7th.
Regular registration closes on January 28th.
Please contact the UBC office with questions or issues ( or 225-766-9474).
Emphasis on Player Safety and Health
While we want to facilitate the Academy experience, we also do not want to contribute to the spread of this virus. Therefore, we are implementing new measures to protect player health and safety.
There will be a more significant emphasis on individual skill development versus extensive group engagement. This also means fewer players on a given field during the session.
Players should not participate if they have shown any signs of the virus in the last 14 days leading up to each session.
Individual water bottles will be kept in a specific zone, with each player given an assigned area.
Players will remain on an assigned field for the full duration of the session.
The coaching staff and other volunteers will wear face coverings at all times.
Emphasis on Parents/Supporters/Fans Safety and Health
We also want to protect the parents, supporters, and fans of the players.
Face coverings will be required for this group and maintaining 6ft of distance from individuals who are not in one’s family unit.
Unless registered as a volunteer, parents/supporters will not be allowed on the playing field.
Scholarships Available
Did you know that UBC offers partial and full scholarships for children enrolling in the Soccer Academy?
The last thing we want is for the enrollment fee to get in the way of any child and their family wishing to participate in the program.
Eligible scholarship recipients must be past participants of the Academy, existing Mother's Day Out students, and/or UBC members.
Interested in the scholarship? Here is what you need to do:
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For 50% off the registration fee, complete the registration form, and use the promo code “SCHOLARSHIP50” at checkout.
It's that simple. And scholarships are kept confidential.
Volunteer
To help make the Soccer Academy a reality, we need at least 12 volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include set-up, player check-in, snack table, group leaders, and coaches.
Volunteering is not a six-week commitment. Sign up for the dates you are available.