We're flying off with Peter Pan and Tinkerbell this month to find Captain Hook and the Neverland Pirates! There will be plenty of pirate ship battles, but don't worry, our players will use their soccer skills to keep Bob the Bobcat safe and sound. And if we run out of fairy dust, we'll just have to help Tink find more!
This month in HappyFeet school classes, we're learning about OPTIMISM! With a little fairy dust, a lot of good thoughts, and a strong powerful kick-- Bob the Bobcat will be flying high all of April.
First off this month we are using the TOP of our feet to strike the ball-- where our shoelaes are! This motion can be tough because it takes more muscle strength than you might think to point that toe at the ground. All young players will struggle to lock their ankle, but we still want them to be making contact with the top of their foot so they can learn how it should feel! If you want to practice at home, we suggest putting your soccer ball up on top of a disc cone; the little extra elevation makes it easier to strike the ball with the correct part of the foot.
We will also work on striking the ball with the inside of our feet! When they're older, they will mostly use this skill to pass the ball. Using the inside of the foot can be an awkward movement when you first start trying it and takes some practice. Turning that hip out takes intentional consideration and movement at the HappyFeet age, but we know our players will be optimistic about the challenge!