'Pre-Kicks' Teaches Core Soccer Skills to Area Youth

Eyes all over the globe were focused on South Africa this summer for what has been called the world's most popular sporting event—the World Cup. In the United States, World Cup excitement reached new heights as the American team won its group for the first time since 1930, perhaps ushering in a new era of soccer popularity in America. Children are catching that soccer fever right here in Germantown, hoping to become the next U.S. soccer hero—that is, after they take their morning nap.

These kids are 3 and 4 years old and through Pre-Kicks—a developmental soccer program through the Soccer Association of Montgomery (SAM)—are learning teamwork, social interaction, and the core skills of soccer. As it may be too early for parents to aspire for their children to be a professional soccer player, most of them are content seeing their children develop, learn new skills and have fun with friends.

"I thought it was important for him to learn the idea of listening to a coach, to play with other kids in a team environment so he has that foundation for when he gets older," said Sara Sullivan, who has a 4-year-old child in the program. Jenny Zador, one of the coaches in the program, grew up playing soccer and still plays in a local adult league. Zador said Pre-Kicks strives to teach both soccer and social skills.

 "We are providing a foundation for learning how to depend and rely on other people and socializing while also providing them an outlet to get some of that energy out in a positive way," Zador said.

"It's a great program," said Elias Garcon, another coach who grew up playing soccer in Spain. "We try to focus on the development of coordination skills. The kids have a lot of fun. It's great." According to Garcon, there is a pool of 15 coaches, all with extensive backgrounds in soccer, who all help out with the program. At its peak, the program includes upwards of 100 children all through the year.

Todd Fischer has two kids in the program and said it was important for his children to develop life skills at a young age. "I wanted them to learn teamwork and how to compete and be competitive and, of course, learn soccer skills."

While most parents agreed that they wanted their kids to have the foundation of playing team sports at a young age, for one couple in particular, playing soccer is just part of family tradition."[My husband and I] met playing soccer and it's just in our families," said Peggy Keeler, who has two children in the program. "They enjoy it. It's healthy for kids."