U5 JAMBOREE PROGRAM
Soccer is for people of all ages – even the little ones! In Jamboree, children get to play soccer in an age-specific program, and you, the parents, get to participate with them.
Jamboree will combine group training (groups of 20-30 players) and small-sided games (3 v 3) to provide a fun and interactive session for the youngest of our players. Parent involvement is a must during the initial part of each session. Parents will work in a one-on-one format with their children. The sessions will be led by a Master Coach and end with a small-sided match.
A “Master Coach” will lead the first three sessions and parents will lead the last three. The Master Coach will introduce a game/activity that will practice a certain skill or part of the game using explanation and demonstration. Each pair (player/parent) will then attempt the activity while the Team Coach and Master Coach circulates between pairs providing specific help or suggestions so that the activities are performed as intended. After a suitable amount of time, the Master Coach will bring the team coaches, players and parents back together as a group, recap what they have done, and introduce the next game/activity.
Each session will end with a 20 minute small-sided game to be overseen by the parents. Most importantly allow the players to play without coaching or teaching them as this experience is designed to expose them to soccer, not to begin developing them. The two goals of the program are to (1) allow the players to enjoy the activities and (2) to let the game be the teacher.
In Jamboree, each team is made up of three players and each player will have a parent (or other adult) with them on the field. The children learn soccer skills like kicking, dribbling, and throwing in the ball, but in a low-pressure setting. Jamboree is about exposing children to soccer, not grooming them for college scholarships.
Parents help take turns organizing the group, setting up fields and supervising the program. While their children are playing, parent volunteers keep time, but interfere with play as little as possible. There are only a few reasons to stop play in Jamboree games. If a child is not playing well with others, or if play must pause for injury, substitution, confusion, or to watch a flock or birds fly by, parents can quickly direct attention back to the game.
In Jamboree, goals are not counted to determine who wins - every player is a winner. Young players need to get a feel for the ball and the field, so even though there are adults all around and many opportunities to offer instruction, the emphasis is on fun and play. It’s a different kind of game in U-5, but the children still wear jerseys or pinnies, cleats and shin guards. Best of all, they find out that soccer is something they can do.
There is NO practice during the week.