FIRST TOUCH SOCCER
"The Most Important Touch"
OVERVIEW
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BACKGROUND ON FIRST TOUCH SOCCER
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| First Touch Soccer is a small, independent, nonprofit organization established in 2007 and based in Washington DC. First Touch Soccer is dedicated to enhancing soccer technique and tactics, sportsmanship, physical fitness and leadership skills of elementary and middle school boys and girls in the Washington DC metropolitan area. First Touch Soccer conducts spring, summer, fall and winter (indoor) clinics for boys and girls with all skill levels 7 years of age and older. However, younger children have attended on a case by case basis. The programs are conducted in Upper Northwest Washington DC. Over the years, First Touch Soccer programs have included boys and girls from all over the world. We provide athletic opportunities and social interactions for children from diverse cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds. The most recent programs have included children from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East with foreign language fluency in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Arabic, Hungarian, Swedish, Norweigian, Italian, Maltese, Wolof and Setswana. While the organization is geared to improving soccer skills and sports attitudes for our youth, the mission is also driven by its commitment to donate funds to various charitable causes. A list of those charities and organizations can be viewed on the Charitable Donations page of the website. In fact, the First Touch Soccer Board of Directors agree the financial proceeds generated from clinics, programs and training will go to support education in the underprivileged global community. We started an education scholarship program for boys and girls in Thailand. In 2012 and 2013, we gave a grant of $5,000 each year to send 7 children to private school for an entire year. For The Love of the Game Our program and sessions are small enough to offer individual and small group instruction, training and coaching. We typically cap participation at 18-20 participants so we can focus on the players. We usually have a player coach ratio of 6:1. This allows us to interact with each player as a person and as an individual. We are interested in making players dynamic footballers and have them constantly working with the ball. We promote and conduct the clinics to instill player flare to create the "beautiful game." We don't want players standing around in lines and waiting. It defeats the essence of the game which is constant movement and positioning. We conduct this program for the love and fun of the game. Whether you are learning the trade, have some skills, still trying to juggle the ball, play at recreation level, have more advanced soccer skills or play on a "travel" team, our program has put in place a set of practices and small-side games that are guaranteed to enhance your style, technical skills and understanding of the game. Coaches at the youth level should not be coaching machines. We encourage individuality, creativity and emphasize to the players that you play for the love of the game. Come Check Us Out. If You Don't Like It, We Will Refund Your Fee. We've been operating the program since 2007 and our players return year after year, season after season, program after program, clinic after clinic. This is what makes our program special and different from the others. We don't demand you to train with us, impose any mandatory participation requirements and certainly do not require forced participation in off-season events. You do it because you love it! You should do it because you want to meet other players, enjoy the company of others and learn from other players. Most important, our coaches are great communicators, interactive, fun, positive, motivated and LOVE THE GAME. You can read their bios on the "About Us" page. By gaining experience and exposure to other coaches and training styles, you will become a better player. No coach at the youth level has all the answers. Team Training For the Spring 2013, First Touch Soccer will conduct DCYFC boys training on Wednesday (Ages 7-9) and Thursday (Ages 10-12) afternoon and other boys (Ages 11/12) team and girls (Ages 6/7 and 8/9) team training on Friday. If you are interested in joining one of these training sessions please send an email. For coaches interested in pre-season training, FTS can conduct morning, afternoon or evening evening sessions to enhance the most important touch in soccer -- the First Touch For further information, you can contact us at: Mitch@FirstTouchSoccer.org or call 202.256.2558 |
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| Parents and players ask me why First Touch Soccer? “Does this mean your program is only for beginners?" Throughout the world, soccer players, coaches and trainers know that “the first touch” determines a player’s ability. It is the first touch that allows a player to receive the ball, turn on the ball and move the ball to space. It allows the player to create space and distance from a defender in order to maintain ball possession. It establishes every other individual technical/skill component of the game -- dribble, pass or shoot. |
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| Simply put, we love playing and interacting with the kids. The First Touch Soccer staff loves the game and the kids. We have watched the kids play school, travel and recreation soccer and realize we can improve their skills and game understanding. We work on a progression of activities that build up to game conditions with emphasis on multiple formats of small-side games. Most important, we get results. We have many players come through the program who have made tremendous advancements on their recreation, school and travel team. Our focus is on developing the technical skills necessary to becoming a better player, a supportive teammate and a leader. First Touch Soccer is devoted to improving the technical skills and tactical understanding of soccer for Boys and Girls ages 7 and older. The clinics are designed to improve dribbling, ball control, passing, shooting, two-footed and overall play by focusing on the most of important of all touches --- the First Touch. Scholarships are available to those in need of financial assistance. It is the world's game and want our clinics to reflect that diversity. First Touch Soccer is committed to teaching soccer to youth in a constructive, mentoring and positive environment. Call to find out more. |
SOCCER PHILOSOPHY
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| Soccer is not a one-way game nor is it linear. It is multi-dimensional: a combination of both chess and geometry. It is chess because the player always needs to think ahead to the next move -- how to receive the ball, what space to touch the ball to and where to pass, dribble or shoot. Soccer is also geometry. Geometry because the game is based on angles -- right, equilateral, isosceles and scalene triangles. A player must learn to play without the ball. During a game, players are probably without the ball 95% of the time. Therefore, they need to be in a position to receive the ball. Perhaps not the first pass, or the second pass but anticipating where the play is developing, getting into position and playing either a supportive offensive or defensive role. It is one of the more difficult concepts for young players to understand. However, First Touch Soccer stresses this concept and has developed skills training and small-side games to develop this critical piece of the game. For further information, you can contact us at: Mitch@FirstTouchSoccer.org or call 202.256.2558 |