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  • North Cambridge
    • Player Registration
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    • Crew Volunteers
  • About
    • About Soccer Nights
    • Sponsors
    • Start a Site
  • Contact

Nightly Plan: Tuesday, June 23, 2015

6/23/2015

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Tonight's Announcements

  • Tonight's theme: Perspective
  • Tonight's skill: Dribbling
  • Special guests: The Boston Breakers 
  • Please review your time slot: Logistics = 4:30pm, Registration & Lead Staff = 5pm, All other volunteers = 5:30pm
  • WEATHER: the weather is still not looking great. Please check back later for cancellations. We will post by 5:30.
  • After Hours Tonight: Flatbread: Tonight night we'll keep our debrief short and then head down to Flatbread Pizza Co. & Sacco's Bowl Haven on Day St. in Davis Square for food, drinks, and bowling! Bring money for food & bowling shoes - bowling is covered! IF WE HAVE TO CANCEL DUE TO RAIN, WE WILL GO EARLIER.
  • Assignment changes: I know we had to switch a few of you around last night due to some coaching holes, so thank you for being flexible. We will be making a few more changes tonight to ensure that each team is well-staffed and no coach is left by him/herself. If you have to move teams tonight, I apologize!
  • If you're having trouble: If you have any concerns regarding managing kids, coaching points, volunteer assignments, or anything, please touch base with your division leader and they can help you or touch base with Brian, Terry, or me to help you figure things out. Your division leaders are there to help you so don't hesitate to ask!
  • Black Shirts: Just a friendly reminder that people in black soccer nights shirts are lead volunteers and are available to help answer any questions you might have throughout the night. And if they don't know the answer, they know someone who does!
  • Pens! Clipboards! 1st aid! All can be found in your division bins. 
  • Whistles - if you are a coach OR an assistant coach you can pick up a whistle at the volunteer check-in table.
  • Snacks - there will be some snacks at the volunteer check-in table today. Make sure you grab something so you don't go hungry!

Tonight's Schedule

Nightly Schedule:
5:30 – 6:00 Check in, directed to teams
6:15 – 6:25 Large group welcome, intro theme & skill of the night
6:25 – 6:45 Warm ups in division, skill demonstration
6:45 – 6:55 Team time #1: review team name, learn new names, set goal for the night
6:55 – 7:20 Team Drill work
7:20 – 7:25 Team time #2: check in on team goal, prep for scrimmage
7:30 – 8:05 Scrimmages
8:05 – 8:10 Team time #3: check in, debrief scrimmage and team goal
8:10 – 8:25 Large group closing
8:25 – 8:30 Snack in teams, check out


Tonight's Skill: Dribbling

Soccer Nights, Day 2: Dribbling from vineyardcommunityofferings on Vimeo.

See also pages 9-12 of Soccer Curriculum Packet.

***NOTE TO COACHES: Feel free to modify this and/or do something totally different- as long as the kids are having fun and learning how to dribble the ball correctly that is all we care about***

Coaching Skills to focus on:
1) Confidence
2) Keep the ball close to your feet: Only kick ball 3-5 yds each time, touch ball every 2nd/3rd step
3) Use inside of foot for control dribbles, and laces and outside of foot for speed dribbles
4) Head up - need to have awareness of what is around you, use peripheral vision to see ball

Exercises/Drills:
1) DRIBBLE IN LINES (SHUTTLES)
set up: place a cone 15-20 yards in front of each pair of players
         -Players dribble down to the cone, around the cone, and back to their partner, then their partner goes.  Make sure to remind players to keep ball close to them, and only hit the ball 3-5 yards each dribble.  Touch ball every 2nd or 3rd step.
Progressions: a) use non-dominant foot, b) up with one foot, back with the other foot, c) do a ‘move’ at the cone (ie- cut ball back behind legs), d) put cones further away and do speed dribbling, e) make it a relay race!, f) hold up a number and have kids yell it out (head up!)

2) COLORS (or NUMBERS)
set up: give two coaches two different colored shirts, (if no shirts/pennies just use numbers and hold up fingers)
         -Players dribble around in a designated area and when coach #1 holds up the ______ colored shirt, the players have to stop.  Then they go again, when coach #2 holds up the _______ colored shirt, the players have to turn and go the other way.


Progressions: Make the shirts mean different things: they have to sit down, they have to switch to opposite foot only, they have to touch the ball with their forehead, they have to do 3 jumping jacks, they have to perform a move. 

Games
1) CRABS
set up: make a designated area with lines on the field, or cones (circle or rectangle work)
         -Select 2-4 players to be “crabs” who will walk around on 4 legs with their tummies in the air. The rest of the players each have a ball and dribble around in the designated area while the crabs walk around and kick away the balls form the players.  When your ball gets kicked outside of the area, you are ‘out’ and have to wait until the next round.

Progressions: Have ‘crabs’ be upright and run around (this is called ‘sharks and minnows’), have everyone have a ball, and everyone is also a crab (this is called ‘knockout’), have coach hold up colored shirt and they have to ‘stop’ last person to stop is ‘out’, have the colored shirt stand for different moves.

*** Make up your own variations on any game- and as always HAVE FUN WITH IT!!***

Tonight's Value: Perspective (Instructions for Team Time)


Each night during team time, your team should set a goal pertaining to the theme and/or skill of the night. Below you will find suggested goals each evening, but please feel free to have your team come up with an original goal each night - the suggestions are there to help if you have trouble.

Suggestions for setting team goals: Try to set a goal that includes both the soccer skill and value of the night. E.g. Tuesday’s skill/theme combo is dribbling/perspective. A good goal might be “Tonight we are to work hard to keep our heads up while we dribble so we can see the field and look for open passes.” This goal encompasses both dribbling and perspective. Feel to add bonus goals throughout the night to challenge your team.


Tuesday: Perspective & Dribbling


Team Time #1 (Before drill work)

○ Review names, welcome new players
○ Recap last night’s goal
○ Set goal for the night!

    possible goals:

         ■ Tonight we’ll all keep our heads up while we dribble so we can see the field and look for open passes
         ■ Tonight we’ll graciously and cheerfully take turns playing positions we don’t want to play so everyone can have a chance to play the position they want.

         ■  Review Hero of the Night: Boston Breakers
         ■  Talk about skit

         ■  How do BOSTON BREAKERS show PERSPECTIVE?
         ■  How does our team show PERSPECTIVE?

Team Time #2 (before scrimmage)

○ Check in on team goal for the night:

         ■ How are we doing so far?
         ■ What could we do to improve?
         ■ If we’ve already reached it, what could we add to challenge ourselves?

         ■ Who has shown the value of PERSPECTIVE like BOSTON BREAKERS?  when?


Team Time: #3 (after scrimmage)

○ Check in on team goal for the night:
         ■ how did we do?
         ■ what could we do to improve as a team for tomorrow?

○ What did you learn tonight about dribbling? (1-2 ppl share)
○ What did you learn tonight about perspective? (1-2 ppl share)

○ What did you learn tonight about our heroes? (1-2 ppl share)


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Coaching Tips from Brian!

7/24/2012

2 Comments

 
Soccer Nights makes for a long, awesome week.  Make sure you are getting some rest, drinking lots of water and eating lots of veggies and lean protein this week.  I was so excited to get to watch all the awesome dynamics on the field.  Some of you guys were coaching for the first time, some of you have been doing it for years, but across the board I noticed lots of smiles and some good soccer.  

Tips for Red and Blue Divisions: 
During the scrimmages, it’s very helpful if at least one coach is acting as the referee. Get right in the action. Stay close to play and use your whistle.  When the players all jump on top of the ball and get too clumped up and start falling all over each other, feel free to blow your whistle, stop play and tell everyone to go back to their sides.  

Also, feel free to experiment with the #’s game. In this game, each player starts behind their own endline with no goalie.  Each player is given a #.  The coach starts in the middle of the field with the balls. Coach calls out a # (could just be one #, or several together).  On coaches’ whistle, the player from each side with corresponding #(s) comes out and tries to score on the opposite team.  This game is good at getting smaller groups on the field and helps eliminate some of the problems with clustering.  When a goal is scored, or ball goes out of bounds, coach blows whistle to end play, sends all players back behind their line and resets for a new group of #’s to be called. 

Tips for Orange and Green divisions:
As the players in the Orange and Green divisions are older, they are more capable of trying new advanced drills.  Especially with the Green division, keep away games and small sided practice games are very helpful.  Try a 5 vs. 2 where 5 players create a circle and 2 defenders step in the middle and try to steal the ball.  Encourage players to look for chances to ‘split’ (make a successful pass across the circle between the 2 defenders) the defenders.  Defenders look to maintain depth vs. getting ‘flat’ to the ball. 

You could also try a small-sided game (or scrimmage) in which you limit the amount of touches each player takes (start with 4, or 3).  Additionally, you could try a keep away game in a square.  Have each player in a 5x5 space so you have 8 players (4 with a pinnie, 4 without) in a 10x10 yard space.  Each team scores a point by getting each player to touch the ball. In this drill, players can’t leave their space and must pass the ball out of their space.  

Just some more ideas to keep things interesting!  

2 Comments

Nightly Plan: Tuesday, July 24

7/24/2012

1 Comment

 

Tonight's Schedule:

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
6:15PM: Large Group welcome – curriculum intro
6:30PM: Team name review, welcome new kids, review team expectations
6:35PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Dribbling!)
6:55 PM: 
Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Homes!) 
7:15PM: Team Drill Work 

7:45PM: Scrimmages
8:15PM: Camp Conclusion. Present “Olympian of the Night.” Teach Dance.  
8:25PM: Snack dismissal
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements
9:10PM: 
Volunteer Scrimmage! 

Tonight's Ways to "Go for the Gold" for Team Medals

Values Curriculum: Homes!
1. Kids add home ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.
2. Coaches may award their team extra medals if players demonstrate excellent implementation of going for the gold themes (e.g using each other's names during scrimmage, working together during 'home' activity).
Soccer Curriculum: Dribbling
1. Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing to practice dribbling with confidence, quick feet, different parts of the feet, and awareness.

Coaches -- report your team's medal count to your division leaders. 

Tonight's Skill: Dribbling

Ways to “go for the gold”
1) Confidence - Having a positive attitude
2) Quick feet / Close control
3) Different parts of the feet
4) Awareness - Keeping your head up

Dribbling: Coaching Points
  • Positive attitude - confidence
  • Keep the ball close to your feet
  • Head up - awareness of what’s around you
  • Change of speed and change of direction

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8kKHJaQJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iDtaSE25Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6jlHgj7tc&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QDqXO8g8Qs

1) Dribble and .... (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • X players are all in the grid, dribbling freely. 
  • On the coach’s signal, players must perform the given command:
  • use only left or right foot
  • use only the inside, outside, or sole of any foot
  • move the ball quickly between both feet
  • crazy stuff (i.e. sit on the ball, head on the ball, ball b/w knees)
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain MOVE
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain TURN

Emphasize: 
  • Quick feet
  • Good stance - knees bent, moving on the balls of feet

2) Lines (set up a 10x30 grid)
  • X players dribble to the various lines and back.
  • Coach should vary what players do:
  • use only the laces of left or right foot
  • move the ball quickly b/w both feet
  • use only the inside, outside, sole of foot
  • zig-zag
  • drag the ball with the sole of foot
  • pull the ball with the sole of foot
  • dribble freely
  • be creative!

Emphasize:
  • Use both feet 
  • Use different parts of feet

3) Colors (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Place two differently colored cones in the corner (e.g. red and yellow).
  • Coach must hold in hand something that is also yellow and red (e.g. pinnies)
  • X players dribble in and around grid.
  • Without saying anything, the coach lifts either of the pinnies in the air.
  • Players must now dribble the ball to the corresponding color cone.
  • Coaches could use 4 different colors.

Emphasize: 
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

4) Crabs (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Each player has a ball except for three or four players who are “crabs.”
  • “Crabs” have to be sitting on his/her backside but is free to move anywhere only on hands and feet.
  • Players with the ball dribble in and around the area trying to avoid the “crabs.”
  • Switch “crabs” every 2-3 minutes.

Emphasize: 
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

5) Multi-goal soccer (set up a 30x30 grid)
  • Each player has a ball and must dribble the ball through the goals.
  • A goal can be scored from any side.
  • After scoring on one goal, the player must then move to a different goal.
  • No passing through the goal.

Emphasize: 
  • Encourage players to keep heads up (awareness) and attack a new goal after going through a goal and to avoid other players.
  • Be quick to change speed and direction.
  • See how many goals each person can score in one minute.

DRIBBLING GAMES
1) Wickets - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
There are two teams. Divide players into 1’s and 2’s. Have all the 1’s spread around the designated area and stand with their feet spread well apart as “Wickets.” Have the 2’s dribble the ball in and through the “Wickets.” The objective is to see how many wickets they can dribble through in a given time. Switch teams.

2) Freeze Tag - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
Similar to the game “Wickets” combined with traditional freeze tag. 

3) King of the Castle - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
All players have a ball at their feet. On the whistle, all players are to dribble around while attempting to kick a teammates ball out of the grid. Once a ball has been knocked out of the grid, the player collects his/her ball and waits on the sideline. He/she is out for that round. That last player with a ball at his/her feet is King of the Castle.

4) Thieves - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all older groups)
Create 4 safe zones with the cones. Each player has a ball except for the 3-4 “Thieves” who will wear pennies. It’s similar to a traditional tag game with safe areas. If you get tagged by the “Thieves,” you lose the ball and become the “Thief.” When the play is stopped, at coach’s command, any player without a ball must do a “Fun Exercise” (i.e. 5 star jumps, 5 push-ups, etc.). Maximum of 2 players are allowed in each safe zone at one time. The 1st person who was in the zone must leave when the 3rd person enters the safety zone. 

5) Alien attack - Set up a 20X30 grid (appropriate for older age groups)
This game is basically, the “Humans vs Aliens” warm-up with soccer balls. 

Tonight's Value: Homes!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold – learn about each other's homes!
1.    Participants will learn about their teammates’ homes.
2.    Participants will learn why “home” is important.
3.    Participants will learn the connection between knowing about someone's home and going for the gold.

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. Our home is where we feel safe and loved and the most ourselves, and when we share that with someone else they know us better and when we hear about someone else's home we can begin to understand them better. Knowing more about and understanding each other are steps to becoming better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what Going for the Gold is all about.

Activities:
  • Re-introduce rings activity. 
Ask:
--Who can tell the new people what we're making this week? What did we add yesterday?
--Respond to answers:
 --That's right, all week, each night we are going to decorate our Soccer Nights “Green” Division Olympic Ring, and at the end of the week we are going to combine all the rings to make the Soccer Nights Olympic Rings. Each day we will learn how we can “Go for the Gold!” together as a team, to become better friends and better soccer players!

Remember, in your teams you can set goals tonight that all of you as a team will work together to achieve in order to earn medals.

  • Introduce Today's Theme: Homes!
Say: What is a home? When you say “this is my home,” what are you talking about?
- home can be lots of things - it can be a house, the place you live; it can be a city or town where you live or where you were born, it can be a place you don't live but maybe your family is from there. As we grow and get older, we might have more than one place we call home, but each of these places has a place in our hearts and is filled with memories and importance to us. For example, if you asked me what my home is, I would say: North Cambridge, because that's where I live now and where my life is, and I want to stay here. But I'd also say Maine, because that's where I grew up and it's where my Mom and Dad are and I will always love it there and have memories of home.

Yesterday we learned that knowing someone’s name is a great first step to building friendships and community, to working together to go for the gold. Well believe it or not but knowing about each other’s HOMES is just as important! Why? Well where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. My home is where I feel safe and loved and I love to be, so when I share that with someone else they know a little more about me and when I hear about where someone is from I can begin to understand them a little better. Especially at Soccer Nights, where so many of us come from so many different states and cities and countries, learning about those places is so cool! And it makes us more connected to our teammates and our community. So tonight we are going to learn something about each of our teammates’ homes.

  • Tonight's Activity: 
Younger Divisions:
 Curriculum team will come around and hand paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to “draw home”on the medal. Encourage them to be creative and draw whatever home means to them. This could be a picture of their family, their house, their room, the country they are from, etc.

1st grade: When they are done drawing on the medal they should write their name on it.

2nd/3rd grade: When they are done drawing they should write on their medal one thing they like about their home.

Curriculum volunteers (or parents) should glue medals to division rings (can do ½ facing one way and ½ facing the other way in order to show both pictures and words)

Older Divisions:
Coaches should split their team into pairs. Curriculum team will come around and hand out paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to ask their partner the 3 questions about home:
  • What or where is your home?
  • Where is your family from? 
  • What is something you like about your home?


Kids should first write their partner's name on their medal, and then write the answers to the questions.
Halfway through instruct them to switch.


  • Share
Younger Divisions: (optional, only if time)
  Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their drawing by saying “My name is _____ one thing I like about my home is _____________ (Note: If you don’t have time to go around the entire circle, pick a few volunteers) 

Older Divisions: Share/Build a Pyramid/Human Home
Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their partner by saying “This is my friend _____, and their family comes from ____________ and now their home is in ________. One thing they like about their home is _____________

After the first pair shares, they should get on their hands and knees and begin the pyramid.

(Say: we are going to build a human house). The next pair introduces each other and adds to the pyramid. Keep adding to the pyramid until everyone has gone (if there are a lot of kids, start a new pyramid - as many as seem safe, coaches’ discretion).

1 Comment

Nightly Plan: Tuesday, June 26

6/26/2012

0 Comments

 

Tonight's Schedule:

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
6:15PM: Large Group welcome – curriculum intro
6:30PM: Team name review, welcome new kids, review team expectations

6:35PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Dribbling!)
7:55 PM: Team Drill Work
7:25PM: Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Homes!)
7:40PM: Scrimmages
8:15PM: Camp Conclusion. Present “Gold Medalists of the Night.” Teach Dance.  
8:25PM: Snack dismissal
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements

9:10PM: Volunteer Scrimmage!

Tonight's Ways to “Go for the Gold” for Team Medals:

Values Curriculum: Homes!
1. Kids add home ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.
2. Coaches may award their team one extra medal if players demonstrate excellent implementation of going for the gold themes (e.g using each other's names during scrimmage, working together during 'home' activity).

Soccer Curriculum: Dribbling
1. Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing to practice dribbling with confidence, quick feet, different parts of the feet, and awareness.



Coaches -- report your team's medal count to your division leaders.

Tonight's Skill: Dribbling

Ways to “go for the gold”
1) Confidence - Having a positive attitude
2) Quick feet / Close control
3) Different parts of the feet
4) Awareness - Keeping your head up

Dribbling: Coaching Points
  • Positive attitude - confidence
  • Keep the ball close to your feet
  • Head up - awareness of what’s around you
  • Change of speed and change of direction

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8kKHJaQJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iDtaSE25Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6jlHgj7tc&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QDqXO8g8Qs

1) Dribble and .... (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • X players are all in the grid, dribbling freely.
  • On the coach’s signal, players must perform the given command:
  • use only left or right foot
  • use only the inside, outside, or sole of any foot
  • move the ball quickly between both feet
  • crazy stuff (i.e. sit on the ball, head on the ball, ball b/w knees)
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain MOVE
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain TURN

Emphasize:
  • Quick feet
  • Good stance - knees bent, moving on the balls of feet

2) Lines (set up a 10x30 grid)
  • X players dribble to the various lines and back.
  • Coach should vary what players do:
  • use only the laces of left or right foot
  • move the ball quickly b/w both feet
  • use only the inside, outside, sole of foot
  • zig-zag
  • drag the ball with the sole of foot
  • pull the ball with the sole of foot
  • dribble freely
  • be creative!

Emphasize:
  • Use both feet
  • Use different parts of feet

3) Colors (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Place two differently colored cones in the corner (e.g. red and yellow).
  • Coach must hold in hand something that is also yellow and red (e.g. pinnies)
  • X players dribble in and around grid.
  • Without saying anything, the coach lifts either of the pinnies in the air.
  • Players must now dribble the ball to the corresponding color cone.
  • Coaches could use 4 different colors.

Emphasize:
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

4) Crabs (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Each player has a ball except for three or four players who are “crabs.”
  • “Crabs” have to be sitting on his/her backside but is free to move anywhere only on hands and feet.
  • Players with the ball dribble in and around the area trying to avoid the “crabs.”
  • Switch “crabs” every 2-3 minutes.

Emphasize:
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

5) Multi-goal soccer (set up a 30x30 grid)
  • Each player has a ball and must dribble the ball through the goals.
  • A goal can be scored from any side.
  • After scoring on one goal, the player must then move to a different goal.
  • No passing through the goal.

Emphasize:
  • Encourage players to keep heads up (awareness) and attack a new goal after going through a goal and to avoid other players.
  • Be quick to change speed and direction.
  • See how many goals each person can score in one minute.

DRIBBLING GAMES
1) Wickets - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
There are two teams. Divide players into 1’s and 2’s. Have all the 1’s spread around the designated area and stand with their feet spread well apart as “Wickets.” Have the 2’s dribble the ball in and through the “Wickets.” The objective is to see how many wickets they can dribble through in a given time. Switch teams.

2) Freeze Tag - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
Similar to the game “Wickets” combined with traditional freeze tag.

3) King of the Castle - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
All players have a ball at their feet. On the whistle, all players are to dribble around while attempting to kick a teammates ball out of the grid. Once a ball has been knocked out of the grid, the player collects his/her ball and waits on the sideline. He/she is out for that round. That last player with a ball at his/her feet is King of the Castle.

4) Thieves - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all older groups)
Create 4 safe zones with the cones. Each player has a ball except for the 3-4 “Thieves” who will wear pennies. It’s similar to a traditional tag game with safe areas. If you get tagged by the “Thieves,” you lose the ball and become the “Thief.” When the play is stopped, at coach’s command, any player without a ball must do a “Fun Exercise” (i.e. 5 star jumps, 5 push-ups, etc.). Maximum of 2 players are allowed in each safe zone at one time. The 1st person who was in the zone must leave when the 3rd person enters the safety zone.

5) Alien attack - Set up a 20X30 grid (appropriate for older age groups)
This game is basically, the “Humans vs Aliens” warm-up with soccer balls.

Tonight's Value: Homes!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold 
  1. Participants will learn about their teammates’ homes.
  2. Participants will learn why “home” is important.
  3. Participants will learn the connection between knowing about someone's home and going for the gold.

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. Our home is where we feel safe and loved and the most ourselves, and when we share that with someone else they know us better and when we hear about someone else's home we can begin to understand them better. Knowing more about and understanding each other are steps to becoming better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what Going for the Gold is all about.

Activities:
  • Re-introduce rings activity. 
Ask:

--Who can tell the new people what we're making this week? What did we add yesterday?
--Respond to answers.
--That's right, all week, each night we are going to decorate our Soccer Nights “Green” Division Olympic Ring, and at the end of the week we are going to combine all the rings to make the Soccer Nights Olympic Rings. Each day we will learn how we can “Go for the Gold!” together as a team, to become better friends and better soccer players!

  • Introduce Today's Theme: Homes!
Say: What is a home? When you say “this is my home,” what are you talking about?
- home can be lots of things - it can be a house, the place you live; it can be a city or town where you live or where you were born, it can be a place you don't live but maybe your family is from there. As we grow and get older, we might have more than one place we call home, but each of these places has a place in our hearts and is filled with memories and importance to us. For example, if you asked me what my home is, I would say: North Cambridge, because that's where I live now and where my life is, and I want to stay here. But I'd also say Maine, because that's where I grew up and it's where my Mom and Dad are and I will always love it there and have memories of home.

Yesterday we learned that knowing someone’s name is a great first step to buildingfriendships and community, to working together to go for the gold. Well believe it or not but knowing about each other’s HOMES is just as important! Why? Well where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. My home is where I feel safe and loved and I love to be, so when I share that with someone else they know a little more about me and when I hear about where someone is from I can begin to understand them a little better. Especially at Soccer Nights, where so many of us come from so many different states and cities and countries, learning about those places is so cool! And it makes us more connected to our teammates and our community. So tonight we are going to learn something about each of our teammates’ homes.

  • Division Ring Activity
Younger Divisions:
Curriculum team will come around and hand out ½ sheets of paper and paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to “draw home”on the ½ sheet. Encourage them to be creative and draw whatever home means to them. This could be a picture of their family, their house, their room, the country they are from, etc.

1st grade: When they are done drawing they should write their name on the medal and tape the medal to their ½ sheet.

2nd/3rd grade: When they are done drawing they should write on their medal one thing they like about their home, and then tape the medal to their drawing.

Older Divisions:
Coaches should split their team into pairs. Curriculum team will come around and hand out paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to ask their partner the 3 questions about home:
  • What or where is your home?
  • Where is your family from?
  • What is something you like about your home?
Kids should first write their partner's name on their medal, and then write the answers to the questions.
Halfway through instruct them to switch.


  • Share
Younger Divisions:
Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their drawing by saying “My name is _____ one thing I like about my home is _____________ (Note: If you don’t have time to go around the entire circle, pick a few volunteers)
Have kids stick their drawings to the division ring.

Older Divisions: Share/Build a Pyramid/Human Home
Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their partner by saying “This is my friend _____, and their family comes from ____________ and now their home is in ________. One thing they like about their home is _____________

After the first pair shares, they should get on their hands and knees and begin the pyramid.
(Say: we are going to build a human house). The next pair introduces each other and adds to the pyramid. Keep adding to the pyramid until everyone has gone (if there are a lot of kids, start a new pyramid - as many as seem safe, coaches’ discretion).


Curriculum Team should collect medals and glue them to division ring.

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